The New Band Mate
by TheBlackKid
Summary: A foreign transfer student enrolls into Sakuragoka High. Along with some personal secrets. Ones that a certain girl is destined to find out. Contains multiple POVs.
1. Keeping a Promise

The New Band Mate

By TheBlackKid

**Chapter 1 – Keeping a Promise**

"Miss…Miss…"

"_H-Huh? Wh-What?_"

"So sorry to wake you, but we will be landing in Tokyo soon."

"O-Oh, really? _***yawn***_ Okay. Thank you so much." I said to the flight attendant. I then went to stare outside the window. And saw the great night lights of the city in my view.

"_***sigh***_ So this is it, huh? What she always wanted..."

While the plane begins to start landing, I guess I took take this time to introduce myself. My name is Miharu Neroni. I'm 17-years-old and can be easily recognized by my mildly long brown hair and light-brown eyes.

And as of right now…I'm currently on a plane about to land in Tokyo, Japan. Supposedly, my new home.

You see, I'm not exactly Japanese. More so half Japanese and half French. With my father being French and my mother being Japanese.

The latter…is no longer with us.

Yeah, my mother passed away a few months ago. She was really sick and there wasn't much of a cure to help her. So, she spent her remaining days with my dad and I.

On one of those days, she told me the one wish she wanted me to grant for her. It was to experience what life is like living in Japan, her home country.

At the time, I knew nothing of it besides through the stories she would tell me when she was younger. And not that they weren't any good, but they did leave me worried.

But, in the end, I agreed to making that wish come true. And so, a few months later, I packed most of my stuff and made the big move. I'm…I'm honestly scared about it. I've never been to Japan before nor do I know any Japanese. Just French and English.

And I highly doubt I'll find anyone who speaks any bit of French. And I'll be lucky if find a person who speaks English. Like at all.

This may sound like I didn't think this through. But my dad took care of everything for me (apparently). He already found me a place to live and a school to go to. How he managed to do so, I have no idea.

But it all works out in the end. Because now I get grant my mom's final wish. And experience what life in Japan is like without any worries.

…

At least…I hope there won't be any.

* * *

The plane soon landed. And with my one suitcase and one carry-on bag with me, I stepped out of the airport. And already felt a mix of amazement and out-of-place.

"W-Woah. S-So this is it…Mom's home country. It's so…big."

Right when I said that, I felt a cool breeze run past my legs.

"A-And cold, too."

It would make sense for it to be cold. With it being the end of September and all. Which made the fact that I came to this country only wearing a red & grey t-shirt underneath a light-orange short-sleeved hood jacket, black jean shorts, and a pair of white sneakers all the more stupid of me.

"_Brr…_I better hurry it up before I freeze to death out here. Where's this place Dad signed me up for?" I said as I looked at the notes that were previously an email sent by my dad. He had signed me up to be a permanent resident in a small hotel called…

…

Oh, God. I hope I can say this right…_Buros…samu…heizu_? I think. And it's in…

…

Oh, God. Not again…_Shi...ga_? I think. Everything here is in Japanese and I can't read any of it! How the hell am I gonna find this place?!

"**Last call for Burossamuheizu Minshuku! LAST CALL!**"

…

…

"Huh. That guy speaks English. And he has a bus going to this…_ Buros…samu…heizu_ place! What luck!" I cheered before rushing over to the bus. Showing the bus driver my ticket before getting on.

_***sigh***__ At least I found someone who speaks English here…_

The bus traveled **WAY** far from the airport. Farther than I thought it would be. But I got to see more of this place that Mom called home. It's a really cool place, not gonna lie. Granted, it's going to take a while for me to get used to seeing these weird-looking tall skyscrapers and not the tiny buildings of the small town of Sceaux.

_***sigh***__ Day's not even over and I'm already homesick._

I had soon arrived at this_ Burossamuheizu_ place (slowly getting it right). And it looked really big from the outside. And on the inside, it looked…very Japanese-sy.

…

Not sure if that's a thing. But I'm going with it.

"Hello, travelers." Said a woman with black hair at a normal length and light-blue eyes. "Welcome to the Burossamuheizu Minshuku. I am your hostess, Yoriko-san. And my helpers and I will be taking care of you all."

_Woah. So this woman speaks English, too. I'm really getting lucky with finding these people._

"Now, if you would all line up in an orderly fashion, my helpers will check you all in."

As the crowd of tourist made their way to the front desk in single-file lines, I was left alone at the very back of multiple lines at once. Not sure which one to go to.

"Uh…uh…"

"Oh. There you are, Miharu." The woman said as she walked up to me.

"You already know my name?"

"Don't you remember me? Yoriko Tamura. I was at the funeral."

"Huh?" It took me a minute to remember this fact. As there were…_**other things **_I was thinking about that day. But then it came to me. "O-Oh, yeah. I remember now. You're Mom's childhood friend, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. You know, I was just as sad as you were that day. Akiyo was so young. Never thought she would be gone so soon."

"Yeah. It was a shock to all of us." I said in a sad tone.

"Ah. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to upset you. Come on, I'll give you a quick tour."

"Oh. Okay, then. Thank you."

* * *

I followed Yoriko around the place as she showed me around. I was shown the dining hall, the rec center, the bath, and the garden that surrounds it. It all looked amazing. I'm still shocked that this is where I'm going to be living now. I feel so…elite. If that makes sense.

"And finally, here are the rooms. Since you'll be a permanent resident, your room will be in the back. Just to avoid confusion."

"I see."

Yoriko opened the door to my room and I was amazed at the site. It was small…yet big at the same time. Inside of it were a small mattress (called a futon here), a small table with pillows around it, a small dresser, a small flat screen TV, and this small grey box plugged into the wall.

"That's the heater. Trust me. In these coming months, you'll want that in here."

"Does it get that cold here in Japan?"

"Not below freezing. But it's still rather cold. You'll need a thick coat and maybe a scarf by the time end of November comes by."

"I see. Good to know."

_So, I'll be experiencing mild coldness for the first time here. Interesting…_

"So, that's everything. Let me know if you need anything. I'm here to help you out. For now, I'll let you unpack."

"Thank you, Yoriko." I said with a bow. I read that it's a sign of respect here. Don't want to be on anyone's bad side.

As I unpacked my clothes and stuff, one important item came into view. A picture of my mom. She looks a lot like me. The facial features, the length & color of our hair…it was all a perfect match.

And it just made me sad while looking at it.

"_***sigh***__ Mom…I'm doing this for you. I hope you're happy._"

"Um…excuse me."

"**Gah!**" I jumped up from the sudden scare. Then at the door, I saw a girl with short black hair and ruby-colored eyes. Based on her height, she was no doubt younger than me. Not sure by how much, though.

She was also wearing this T-shaped wrapped garment that was mostly black. But had hints of white and had pink flowers all over. And she also had this pink sash around her waist.

I had no idea what it was…but it did look cute on her.

"I-I am sorry. I-I did not mean to scare you. I-I just…" The girl then covered her face in shame. Most likely embarrassed of what she did.

"N-No, it's fine. I was just a little spooked, that's all." I said. Trying to ease her up a bit.

"Mikuru. What are you doing back here?" I heard Yoriko's voice as she came up to the girl.

"Ah. Sorry, Mother."

"Mother?" I asked.

"Oh, right. Miharu, this is my daughter. Mikuru Tamura. She's 14."

"Nice to meet you, Mikuru." I said with a bow.

"Ah. N-Nice to meet you too, Miharu-san." Mikuru said with a more frantic bow.

_Miharu-san? Is that some kind of nickname?_

"I bet you just wanted to meet her prematurely didn't you, sweetie?"

"I…I am sorry, Mother. I could not control myself. I will go help the guest." Mikuru then left to go back to work. Leaving me with her mother once more.

"Mikuru can be a little shy. But she's been really eager to meet you. She's always wanted someone around her age to look up to."

"You mean like an older sister?"

"Yeah, kinda like that. She is an only child."

"I see…"

"Anyway. I came to tell you that you'll eat with us after the guests eat their food. Just to make you feel more comfortable."

"Okay. Thank you for taking me in, Yoriko. Even if this seemed rather sudden…"

"Don't mention it, Miharu. It was always your mother's dream to show you around Japan. She really loved it here. And wanted to pass that love down to you."

"Well…that's why I decided to move here. To fulfill that one last wish of hers. Hopefully, she can rest in peace now."

"Yeah. Me too. I'll leave you alone for now. Dinner should be out in an hour."

"Alright. Thank you."

Yoriko closed the door to my room and I laid myself on the futon-thing right beside me. Thinking of this big decision that I made in order to honor my mom.

_This was her dream. Her absolute desire. She always wanted to be back here. With me by her side. But now…_

…

…

I grabbed the picture of my mom and held it to my heart as tight as I could. It was my way of hugging her…one last time.

"_Mom…I'm going to do it. I'm going to experience life in Japan. Just like you wanted to._"

This was said…with a single tear running down my face.

_**Author's Note:**_** *Sorry for taking this story down the first time. I delayed it because I had too many other stories at the time. But it should be good now.***

**After months of consideration, I've finally decided to enter the world of K-ON fanfiction. It shouldn't be hard, right? I mean…if I can write 8 ½ Yuru Yuri stories based on pure memory alone (the ½ being the crossover story with Lucky Star), then I shouldn't have a problem with this. I hope.**

**So, if you've read Yuru Yuri +1, then this story is very similar to that. If you haven't, it's definitely worth the read. One of my favorites that I've written. **

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	2. That Damn Dog

**Chapter 2 – That Damn Dog**

The next morning came by and it was my first day going to a Japanese high school. I'm…I'm not really sure how this would go for me. I may have gotten lucky yesterday with running into three people that at least speak English fluently, but I highly doubt I'll find any at this school I'm going to starting today.

I was currently looking at the mirror in my room while fitting on my new school uniform. A dark blue blazer over a white dress shirt with a blue ribbon for a tie. And a short blue skirt to match.

"This…This doesn't look too bad. Other than the excessive amount of blue, it's a rather cute uniform."

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Yes?"

"M-Miharu-san…" Someone said as the door slowly opened.

"Oh. Morning, Mikuru. Slept well?"

"Ah. Y-Yes. I did. I just…came to tell you that breakfast is ready."

"Really? I don't have to wait for the guests to finish?"

"Mother and I eat first so that we can focus on the guests' needs and requests more."

"I see." I then grabbed my Japanese schoolbag (which looks a lot like a gym bag the more I look at it) and placed the strap over my shoulder. "Alright, I'm ready. Show me the way, Mikuru."

"Ah. O-Okay. I shall show you the way." Mikuru said with a bow.

She took me to the back of the front counter, which was revealed to me along the way that it's where their living space is. Their own little share of privacy inside a small hotel. And since I was invited to it, it kinda made me feel special. In a way.

"I am back, Mother." Mikuru said.

"Good morning, Yoriko." I said as I followed.

"Ah. Good morning, Miharu. I see you're all ready for your first day."

"Yeah, I am. Although, I am a bit nervous."

"I can understand. Maybe some breakfast will ease you up a bit."

"_Woah. Japanese food. Sounds interesting…_"

And it didn't disappoint, either. The stuff I had were rather weird-looking at first. But once I tried them all…man, was my mind blown. I can totally see why Mom ate this stuff every day. She really had good tastes.

"So, Miharu. How do you feel about going to a Japanese high school?" Yoriko asked me.

"Oh, yeah. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous. I'm not sure if I'll fit in since I don't speak or understand Japanese."

"Don't worry about that. I'm sure you'll find someone there who speaks English. French, not so much."

"Yeah, I highly doubt I'll find French speakers here."

"Do you speak French, Miharu-san?" Mikuru asked.

"Oh, yes. It's actually my native language. I didn't learn English until I was in grade school." I then went silent for a bit. "You know...now that I think about it, I'm kinda surprised that you both can speak English fluently."

"Most of our guests are from the west. So, learning how to speak English was more so a requirement."

"I see. Makes sense." I shrugged the thought off.

"By the way. Do you know what school you're going to?" Yoriko asked.

"Right, I got it on my phone from my dad. It says that it's called…_aw, crap._"

"It's in Japanese?"

"Y-Yeah. D-Do you mind?"

"_***giggle***_ Sure. Hand it over."

I gave Yoriko my phone and she looked at the message that my dad had sent me. I never noticed it until now, but Dad knows a lot more Japanese than I do.

And I feel left out that neither he or Mom ever taught me it.

"Let's see. It says that the school you're going to is…S-Sakuragaoka?!" Yoriko reacted greatly to that name for some reason.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"N-Nothing wrong. It's just…this is the same school your mother and I went to."

"Huh?!"

"Is it really, Mother?" Mikuru asked.

"Yep. Sure is. What a stroke of coincidence that you're going there now."

"It…really is." I said with a sweatdrop.

_How many of these lucky breaks am I going to have?_

"Oh, my. Look at the time. You're going to be late for your first day. Come on, I'll take you. Mikuru, stay here and keep an eye on the guests."

"Yes, Mother." Mikuru said with a bow.

"Welp, here I go. See you later, Mikuru."

"See you soon, Miharu-san."

Yoriko and I stepped out of the hotel and she began guiding me to the school from here. One of the many things that I have to know…

…If I want to keep my promise to Mom.

* * *

**Ritsu's POV**

"**Come join the Light Music Club! **_**ARF ARF!**_"

"**It's really fun! **_**CLUCK CLUCK!**_"

"We've got tons of sweets! _MEOW MEOW!_"

"A-And we…play good music…_Neigh?_"

…

…

"_**Ugh!**_** Why are we doing this again?! It never works!**" Mio yelled in frustration.

"But it's the only idea we have, Mio. We couldn't think of anything else." I said to her.

Right now, the four of us were outside the school near the gate recruiting members for the club while wearing these ridiculous animal costumes that Sawa-chan gave us. Like Mio said, this never works. As we've had other students either too scared to interact with us or (in Yui's case) run from us in total fear.

It soon came to my knowledge that people don't take kindly to strangers in animal costumes nowadays than they used to.

And I can see why…

"I just hope we get another first-year to join us." Yui said. "I really don't want Azu-nyan to be alone when we leave next year."

"If Azusa cared that much, then she would be out here helping out. Why isn't she doing this with us?"

"_Because Azusa still has some form of dignity left inside her…_" Mio said. Still depressed about wearing the horse costume again.

"Cheer up, Mio-chan." Mugi said. "Even if we don't get a new member, at least we're having fun together. This is almost like a part-time job."

"You really like part-time jobs don't you, Mugi-chan?" Yui asked her. To which, she replied with a giggle.

"_***sigh***_ And it doesn't even help the fact that everyone is already in a club. That just makes recruiting all the more difficult." I said.

"Hmm…maybe if we get a transfer student, we might."

"No offense, Yui. But what are the chances that we'll get a transfer student this late into the year?"

"O-Oh, yeah."

"She does a point…" Mio added.

"Hey, everyone. I think I found one." Mugi said.

"**Huh?!**" The three of us yelled in shock. "**Where?!**"

"Over there. By the entrance."

Mugi was pointing to a girl with mildly long brown hair and light-brown eyes. She definitely didn't look familiar to me. Or to anyone else, really. And the fact that she was wearing our school uniform meant one thing.

"No way. It is a transfer student." Mio said.

"What luck. She looks pretty, too." Yui said.

"Alright. I'm going in." I said as I tighten up my dog head.

"W-Wait! Ritsu!"

"Don't worry, Mio. I'll be fine."

"It's not you that I'm worried about!"

"Good luck, Ricchan." Yui said.

"We know you can do it." Mugi added.

"**Don't cheer her on!**"

"Alright! Let's do this!" I cheered as I raised my fist in the air.

"_This is not going to end well…_" Mio facepalmed her horsehead.

* * *

"So, this is…_Sa…ku…ra…gao…ka_? _Pretty sure I screwed that up._ Still, I can't believe this was Mom's high school. At this rate, I'm going to be a complete shadow of her…"

"Hi, there!"

"**Gah! What the hell?!**" I was then suddenly ambushed by some weirdo in a really creepy dog costume that was up in my face.

_Wh-Where did this thing come from?!_

"Hey, hey. You're a transfer student, right?"

"Uh…I guess." I have no idea what a "transfer student" is. So, I just ran along with it.

"Then you'll be looking for a club to join, right? Well, I got the _purrfect_ club for you!"

"You just made a cat pun yet you're wearing a dog costume." I said with a sweatdrop.

"**Never mind that!**" The girl (who I'm assuming is a girl) then took out a piece of paper and shoved it in my face like no one's business. "**Ta-da! Introducing the amazingly fun Light Music Club!**"

"Light Music Club?"

_Do they seriously have light music in this country?_

"It's a club where we get together and play some kick-ass music."

"Kick-ass music…that's really vague, you know."

"Ah, don't worry about it. You'll see for yourself when you join."

"Yeah, sorry. I'm not interested."

"**What?!**" The girl yelled.

"If I'm really a "transfer student" as you said before, then I want to experience this place as normal as possible. And the fact that you're wearing a nightmare-ish dog costume in public makes me think otherwise. Good luck with your search, though." I then turned my back away from the dog girl as I began making my way inside the school.

"**Hey, wait! Come on! Just give it a chance! We're desperate here!**" The girl whined as she grabbed onto me.

"Yeah, I can tell. Now, let go of me!"

"**Wait! Please! Whoa, whoa…**"

"_***shriek***_" I then felt a hard tug on my skirt. Luckily, I was able to hold a harder grip on it so that my panties wouldn't be exposed.

But now…now, I'm mad as hell. And I looked at the dog-faced girl to prove it to her.

"_Eh…hehheh. S-So…wanna join?_"

"_Grr…fichue nuisance d'un chien…_"

"Uh…what?"

***POW***

"**S'ÉLOIGNER DE MOI!**" I shouted with rage as I uppercut this girl with the tightest fist I've ever made in my life. She then landed a few feet away from where I was standing. And didn't get up afterward.

"Tch. Bon débarras." I then made my way inside the school. Hoping I could put this encounter from hell behind me.

_Man. Mom never told me that there be crazies here. I feel cheated._

* * *

**Mio's POV**

"Ricchan! Are you okay?!" Yui yelled as the three of us rushed over to Ritsu after witnessing such a powerful uppercut. We then took the dog head off of her…

"_Wowie, wowie. I'm seeing stars…Hahahaha._"

…And she was completely dazed.

"_***sigh***_ This is what I was trying to avoid." I said as I (finally) decided to take the horsehead off. "Now, the transfer student hates us. Or at least Ritsu."

"Speaking of which…she was speaking a different language just now, wasn't she? Is she a foreigner?" Mugi asked.

"It does sound like it. Although, I have no idea what that language is. It's all new to me."

"Wow. A foreigner with an unknown language. We gotta get her to join!" Yui cheered.

"Yui…didn't you see what happened to Ritsu? There's no way it's happening."

"Don't worry, Mio-chan." Mugi said. "We'll just approach her without the costumes and explain everything normally. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Yeah. I'm with Mugi-chan. I'm sure she'll change her mind about us." Yui added.

_How are you both still positive about this?_

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Aw, geez. We're going to be late for class." I said. "Help me get Ritsu up."

"Upsy-daisy, Ricchan." Yui said as she grabbed Ritsu's feet while Mugi and I grabbed one arm.

"_Hey…the stars are moving. Awesome. Hahahaha._" Ritsu was still dazed from the punch and continued talking nonsense.

"I gotta admit. That was a really cool uppercut."

"Mugi…" I said with a sweatdrop.

…

…

_***sigh***__ Who am I kidding? It was pretty cool._

_**Author's Note:**_** She hasn't even stepped foot inside her new school and Miharu's already experiencing a bad moment. That's gotta be some kind of record.**

**Meanwhile, the bandmates are set and determined to have her join. Well, three of them are. Mio's definitely positive that Miharu wants nothing to do with them. But we'll see.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	3. A Meeting Somewhat Regrettable

**Chapter 3 – A Meeting Somewhat Regrettable **

After that little…_incident_ (that's what I'm calling it), I stepped inside the school and suddenly stopped in my tracks as I looked around the current area.

"_W…Woah. __**Th-This**__ is a Japanese high school? I-It's…r-really big._"

I was nervous as all hell. I wasn't expecting a school of all things to be this freaking huge. My old school back home is probably ¼ of this school's size. Why is it so huge?!

"_Crap, crap, crap. What to do? What to do? What to do?_" I continued to panic as I observed more of this place that I now my school.

But then that's when…

"Uh…excuse me."

"**Gah! I-I'm sorry!**" I shouted as I was surprised by a girl with brownish hair and red glasses.

"You don't have to apologize." The girl said. "You're Miharu Neroni, correct?"

"Uh…y-yes. D-Do I know you?"

"Oh, my apologies. My name is Nodoka Manabe. A representative of the student council. I'm here to help you settle in."

"The student council? They already know about me?"

"Yes. We keep records of the students here. It's one of our many jobs."

"I see…"

_It sounds like the student council here does a lot more work than back home…_

"Well…I appreciate the help."

"You're welcome, Miharu-san."

"Miharu-san?" Now remembering that Mikuru calls me that made me confused that I was hearing this nickname here.

"The "-san" part is what's known as an honorific. It's a way to show respect."

"I see…"

_So, that's why Mikuru calls me that…_

"Well…once again. I appreciate the help, uh…Nodoka-san? Did I say it right?"

"Yeah, that's it. You'll get the hang of it."

"_Thank Goodness…_" I said with an exhausted sigh. "Hey, by the way. Can you really speak English?"

"Yes, I can. Very well, actually. Why, were you worried about not finding anyone that does?"

"Yeah. Kinda had that feeling since I'm from a different country."

"I understand. Well, you'll be glad to know that most of the students and teachers here speak English. So, you don't have to worry about a language barrier."

"I see. Thank you, uh…Nodoka-san." I said with a bow.

* * *

Nodoka gave me a quick rundown of everything here (and basically Japanese schools as a whole). It was kinda weird. First, I had to change out of the shoes I was wearing and wear these slip-ons that are _**really**_ flat on my feet. They're so uncomfortable.

But then Nodoka said that it's a common thing for everyone wearing them for the first time. And that I'll get used to it.

_Used to __**THIS**__?! Are you crazy?!_

Next, she explained the size. She said that Japanese schools have grades 10, 11, and 12 all in the same building. With five classes for each of them. So the size is quite necessary.

_Geez. This many students? That's impressive._

But then as we were walking around, I started to notice something. Every person that we passed by in the hallway was a girl. I didn't see a single boy from the entrance to where we are now. And I didn't get it at all.

"Uh…hey, Nodoka-san. Why are there so many girls here?" I asked.

"Huh? You mean you don't know?"

"Wait. Know what?"

"Miharu-san…this is an all-girls school."

…

…

"**Wh-What?! F-For real?!**" I shouted once I let the world play in my mind some more.

"D-Did you seriously not know that?" Nodoka asked me while gaining a sweatdrop.

"**No! I didn't! Much like everything else about this place! Is that seriously a thing?!**"

"It is. In this country, we have three types of schools. All-girls, all-boys, and then co-ed. Which I'm pretty sure you're used to, right?"

"Yeah, I am. Geez, an all-girls school. _Never would've thought Mom would go to a school like this._"

"Your mom?"

"Ah. N-Nothing. I was just talking to myself."

"I see…"

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Well, that's the bell. We should get to class." Nodoka said.

"Um…where is my class?"

"It's fine. We share the same class. Being Class 2-2."

"Class 2-2? Why does it sound like it's based on a Mario level?"

"You're overthinking it, Miharu-san…" Nodoka said with a sweatdrop.

* * *

**Yui's POV**

"_Ugh…my head. That transfer student did a number on me._" Along the way to class, Ricchan had came to from the punch she got from the transfer student earlier. We went and got an ice pack from the nurse and she was currently using it on the bump she had gained.

"It serves you right, Ritsu. You were up all over her." Mio-chan said.

"Yeah, but I didn't think she would uppercut punch me like that. I think she may be as strong as you, Mio."

"**D-Don't compare us to something like that!**"

"Anyway…so, how do we convince that girl to join?"

"_You're still going through with it?_" Mio-chan looked exasperated.

"She is our only option, Mio."

"Ricchan's right, Mio-chan. Everyone else is already in a club. Mugi-chan added.

"Yeah, but…"

"Guys, look! It's her!" I said as I pointed to the door.

I wasn't kidding, either. It really was her. She came in with Nodoka-chan and the two of them were talking to each other. Does she know her already?

"Is she…is she in our class?!" Mio-chan asked.

"Wow. What luck, right? Now we can try again." Mugi-chan said.

"Alright. Let me go…"

"Sit, you! You'll only make it worse." Mio-chan said as she grabbed Ricchan by the collar.

"Here she comes." I said. "Morning, Nodoka-chan."

"Morning, everyone." Nodoka-chan greeted us.

"Nodoka-chan! You know the transfer student?"

"Huh? How do you already know about her?"

"Ritsu had a little incident with her earlier." Mio-chan said.

"_Man, she packs a punch._" Ricchan added.

"I see. Well, yes. I know her a little. I was getting her settled in before class. Why are you asking, Yui?"

"Well…"

"Alright, everyone. Let's settle down." And right at that moment, Sawa-chan had came in and told everyone to sit down.

"_Aw, phooey._" I whined.

"Sorry, Yui. You'll just have to wait until lunch comes."

"_Okay, Nodoka-chan._"

"Cheer up, Yui-chan." Mugi-chan said. "At least now we'll get to know who she is."

"Yeah…Yeah you're right, Mugi-chan! This is perfect!"

"_I still don't see it…_" Mio-chan said.

* * *

_S-So this is a Japanese classroom, huh? I feel kinda…left out. I look nothing like them at all. And the fact that Nodoka told me that this is an all-girls school makes this feeling even worse._

_Sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm half Japanese._

"_Psst. Miharu-san._"

"H-Huh?"

"_You gotta go up and introduce yourself._" Nodoka whispered to me.

"O-Oh, really? I gotta do that myself? _***sigh***_ Alright."

It was at that moment where my nerves rose up even more.

Standing up in front and introducing myself to the entire class? This is seriously the norm here? Back home, the teacher just did that for you and it was over in 10 seconds. Why does Japan gotta make it hard?!

_***sigh***__ W-Well, here goes…_

"Um…h-hello. I-I, uh…M-My name is…M-Miharu. Miharu Neroni."

"Nice to meet you, Neroni-san." The entire class said.

_Neroni-san?_

"Where did you move from, Neroni-san?" The teacher asked me.

"Oh, um…I actually moved to Japan from a small town that's near Paris."

"Paris? So, you can speak French, Neroni-san?" One girl asked.

"Yes, I can. It's my native language."

"_Ooh!_ Can you speak some French for us, Neroni-san?" Another girl asked.

"Huh? Well, I don't know…"

"Come on, please?"

"I want to hear some."

"It's the language of love, after all."

_They must __**REALLY**__ want to hear some…_

"Well…I-I guess maybe a sentence or two." I then went silent as I gave thought on what to say. Something simple should be good enough.

"***clears throat* **Bonjour. Ravi de vous rencontrer. J'espère que vous me traitez tous bien."

To no one's surprise, nobody had a clue on what I had just said.

_***sigh***__ Figures._

"I basically just said: "Good morning. Nice to meet you. I hope that you all treat me well."."

"_Oh. Cool._"

_They've really never heard French before in their lives…_

"Alright, I think that's enough. You may sit down now, Neroni-san." The teacher said to me.

"O-Oh. Th-Thank you." I quickly went back to my seat so that my nerves can calm down a little. That's when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

"_Hey. You did great, Miharu-san._" Nodoka said.

"_Yeah. I guess._" I replied. Shrugging off the whole thing.

* * *

***Lunchtime***

Lunchtime came by and…I had nothing to eat. I completely forgot to ask Yoriko about it and so I didn't bring anything with me. Nor do I have any money to buy something.

…

_Then again…I don't even know what kind of money this country uses._

And so. With nothing to eat and nothing to do, I decided to just walk around this place. Hoping to forget my hunger and ease my nerves at the same time.

But I didn't really get far, though. Mainly because…

"Hey! Miharu-chan!"

…

_What?_

I turned around to see a group of four girls heading towards me. One girl had short brown hair, one girl had somewhat darker blonde short hair with a yellow headband on it, a girl with long black hair, and a girl with long blonde hair. Her eyebrows were rather thick, too. Odd.

"Hey, hey. We wanna talk to you for a second." The dark blonde-haired girl said.

"Uh…do I know you?"

"Well, kinda. We met this morning, remember?"

"Huh?" I was completely lost for a second. But as I thought about it, I did remember this girl…by her voice.

"Aw, geez. You're that creepy dog girl from this morning." I said in an annoyed tone.

"Y-Yeah, pretty much. I'm Ritsu Taiknaka."

"I'm Yui Hirasawa."

"My name's Mio Akiyama."

"And I'm Tsumugi Kotobuki. But I regularly go by Mugi."

"I see…" I said.

"Look, Miharu. I just wanna apologize for being so pushy back then. I didn't mean to push your boundaries that much." Ritsu said.

"Although, it is something she normally does." Mio added.

"_Hey…_"

"Really now?" I asked. "Well…I'm sorry for delivering that uppercut on you. Although, you kinda deserved it."

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to rub it in." Ritsu said with an exasperated tone.

"What was all that about, anyway? Some kind of carnival camp?"

"Wh-What? No! What made you think that?!"

"The animal costumes."

"_Right…_" The four girls gained a sweatdrop.

"We were actually trying to recruit new members for our Light Music Club." Yui said.

"Light Music Club?" I thought about it. "Oh, yeah. I remember. Look, guys. I meant what I said. I'm not interested."

"Huh? Why not?"

"I just…I have personal reasons."

"Really? Like what?"

"_I just said they were personal._" I said while being a little agitated.

"Can you not play an instrument, Miharu-chan? Cause if that's it then you don't have to worry about that. We can totally teach you!"

_You just don't quit, do you?_

"It's not that, it's…what I mean is, I can play an instrument."

"Really? What kind?" Mugi asked.

"A saxophone. But I haven't done so in a while."

"Ooh. A saxophone. That's amazing."

"We can totally do a trial run of that!" Yui cheered. "Right, Ricchan?"

"Yeah! Let's do it! Come on, Miharu!"

"**Wh-What part of **"_**I don't want to join**_"** do you guys NOT understand?!**" I was beyond annoyed and just flat out pissed off.

"Guys, let's just stop already. She's already made up her mind." Mio said. "Sorry for upsetting you, Neroni-san."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine…probably. I'll just go walk around and at least try to…"

_***growl***_

…

…

_Crap! I forgot that I was hungry…_

That's when I heard a bunch of giggling coming from Mugi. She then had walked up to me and held both of my hands to hers.

"Miharu-chan. If you want, you can come to our clubroom and have some sweets that I've brought with me." She said with a smile.

…

…

"M…Maybe one or two wouldn't hurt…" I felt like I had surrendered to their will because of my current hunger.

_I pity myself._

"_Nice going, Mugi-chan!_" Yui whispered to her. To which, Mugi replied with more giggling.

_Yep. I definitely got screwed._

* * *

**Azusa's POV**

""_We did it! We did it! We finally got one!_" What the heck does that mean?" I asked after reading the text I had gotten from Yui-senpai to Ui and Jun.

"She makes it sound like they caught something." Jun said. "Wait, you think they did some kidnapping?"

"Knock it off, Jun-chan!" Ui yelled at her. "Aren't you guys recruiting new members or something?" She then asked me.

"Well, yeah. The others were outside passing out flyers in those animal costumes again. Though, I took no part in it. I still had some dignity left inside me."

"They would've definitely put you in the cat costume, though." Jun said.

"**Sh-Shut up, Jun!**"

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"So, could it be the fact that they found someone to join?" Ui asked.

"Possibly. But I'm not going now. I'll just wait after school."

"Fair enough."

"If that's true, then I feel sorry for the person that they found." Jun said.

"_Don't we all…_" I said with a sweatdrop.

So then after school came by and I was on my way to the clubroom. While having thoughts about who exactly is this person that Yui-senpai claims that they've recruited.

_I just hope that she's actually reliable. Not to say that the others aren't, but…well, okay. Yui-senpai and Ritsu-senpai aren't really reliable. Like at all. Mio-senpai's probably the most out of the four, but her sudden shyness kinda mixes it up at times. And then Mugi-senpai…she's somewhere in the middle._

…

_Great. Now I just worried myself even more._

I reached the clubroom and opened the door to see the four older girls sitting at the table around a fifth girl. It looked like they were holding a conversation.

"_Ugh. _I said to myself that I wasn't going to come back here, but I ended up coming back here. How did this happen?" This was said by a girl with mildly long brown hair. Slumped down in her chair like she has total shame in herself.

"_***giggle***_ It's no use, Miharu-chan. Nobody can resist Mugi-chan's delicious sweets." Yui-senpai said with a smile.

"_***sigh***_I should've learned that before eating them during lunch. Now I feel like an idiot."

_I see now. So, she was tricked into coming here. Mugi-chan's sweets can do that to you._

"I'm here." I said. Gaining their attention.

"Hey, Azu-nyan! Guess what?! We got a new member!"

"I never said that." The girl said.

"Too late for that, Miharu." Ritsu-senpai said. "Once you eat Mugi's sweets, there's no turning back. Club rules."

"Since when was **THAT** a rule?!"

_It was never a rule…_

"Guys, is she really a new member?" I asked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she isn't." Mio-senpai said. "This is Miharu Neroni. She just joined our class."

"Really? A transfer student this late into the year?"

"It happens, apparently."

"I see. Well, then…My name is Azusa Nakano. It's nice to meet you, Miharu-senpai."

…

…

"Uh…what?" Miharu-senpai looked at me with a confused look on her face.

""Senpai" is what younger students call their upperclassmen here." Mio-senpai explained.

"_Oh._ I see now."

"Miharu-chan's a foreigner, Azusa-chan. From France, to be exact." Mugi-senpai explained.

"A foreigner from France? So you're fluent in French, Miharu-senpai?"

"Yes, I am. It's actually my first language. So, it kinda sucks on my end to come to a place that doesn't have French-speaking people."

"Yeah, I can see that." Ritsu-senpai said. "Not having someone to talk the same gibberish as you can _**really**_ suck."

"_Gibberish?_"

"**Ritsu!**" Mio-senpai yelled at her.

"What? It was gibberish. Nobody here can speak or understand French, right?"

"W-Well…no."

"Me neither." Yui-senpai said.

"I don't know any other languages, myself." Mugi-senpai added.

"I can speak it."

…

…

"Wait…**WHAT?!**" The four older girls yelled in shock.

"I can speak French. Pretty well, too."

"**Are you serious?!**" Ritsu-senpai asked.

"Why didn't you mention that, Azu-nyan?" Yui-senpai asked.

"Well, this is Japan. The chances of finding a French-speaking person here are very low."

"She has a point…" Mio-senpai said.

"Hey, I got an idea." Mugi-senpai said. "Since Azusa-chan can speak French, maybe she can convince Miharu-chan to join."

"_***sigh***_ Again with this? I've already made my decision." Miharu-senpai said while being rather annoyed.

"_Come on, Miharu-chan. Give it a chance._ You won't regret it. Not one bit!" Yui-senpai whined.

"I already regret eating Mugi's cake. So, I'm pretty sure my answer won't change. But I really want to see if she can really speak French. So, I'll give it a shot."

"**Yay! We're so close!**"

"Don't count your blessings, Yui."

I pulled up a chair and sat across from Miharu-senpai while the others circled around us. I guess they want to listen on to the conversation. Not sure why, though.

Since they won't understand either one of us.

* * *

_So, can this girl really speak French? She doesn't look like she can, to be completely honest. But…if by chance that she can…I can at least have someone close to my age that I can relate to in this country._

…

…

_I'll just test her a little…_

"_***clears throat* **_Alors, euh...tu peux vraiment parler français? Ou essayiez-vous simplement de les faire taire?"

(So, uh...can you really speak French? Or were you just trying to shut them up?)

…

…

"Honnêtement, un peu des deux. Mais je peux vous assurer que je peux parler et comprendre le français."

(Honestly, a little of both. But I can assure you that can I speak and understand French.)

"Sensationnel. Je vois..."

(Wow. I see…)

"No way…I think Azusa's really speaking French!" Ritsu said.

"Wow. Azu-nyan's so amazing." Yui said.

"Donc, vous pouvez vraiment parler français. Honnêtement, je croyais que je ne trouverais jamais de francophone ici au Japon. Donc, je suis content d'avoir eu tort."

(So, you really can speak French. Honestly, I believed that I would never find a French-speaking person here in Japan. So, I'm glad that I was wrong.)

"Je peux comprendre cela. Il doit être difficile de déménager de votre pays d'origine vers un endroit dont vous ne connaissez absolument rien. Je suppose que votre principale préoccupation était la barrière de la langue?"

(I can understand that. It must be tough moving from your home country to a place you know absolutely nothing about. I assume that your main worry was the language barrier?)

"Oui ça l'était. Alors, euh...Azusa, était-ce? Comment connaissez-vous si bien le français?"

(Yeah, it was. So, um...Azusa, was it? How do you know French so well?)

"Mon collège avait un cours de français. Je ne sais pas pourquoi je l'ai pris. Je suppose que cela semblait juste amusant, à l'époque."

(My middle school had a French course. Not sure why I took it. I guess it just seemed fun, at the time.)

"_Oh._ Très intéressant."

(_Oh._ Very Interesting.)

"Uh…hey, guys. This is interesting and all…but can we go back to English, now?" Ritsu asked.

"Yeah, I'm completely lost." Yui added.

"Alright, fine. I'm done testing it out." I said.

"Still, though. It's rather impressive that you can speak French, Azusa." Mio said to her.

"I learned it in middle school. It was just for fun, I guess."

"I see."

"Well, that's over and done with." I said as I got up from the chair and grabbed my bag. "I'm going home."

"What? But what about the club?" Ritsu asked.

"_***sigh***_ Look, guys. I don't know how many times I have to say this. I'm **NOT** joining your club! Yes, I can play an instrument. But I have no interest in making music. At least…not anymore."

"Not anymore?" They all asked.

"Tch. N-Never mind that. Just leave me alone."

I then walked out of the room and away from these persistent girls. Whether or not I regret meeting those girls…

…

Well…3 of them were okay.

…

Well, okay. 2 ½. There's something about Mugi that creeps me out.

_**Author's Note:**_** After being lured in because of her hunger, Miharu has stepped inside the Light Music Clubroom. Though even after filling her empty stomach and meeting Azusa (who can apparently speak French), she still refuses to join. And even mistakenly blurts out a possible reason.**

**So all three chapters have returned. And a fourth will be coming later today. I'm definitely going to be working on this. It's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time. **

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	4. Secret Connected Paths

**Chapter 4 – Secret Connected Paths**

**Mugi's POV**

"_Aw, man! We were so close!_"

"Yeah I know, Yui." Ricchan said to her. "She's a tough one to crack. We'll have to try harder tomorrow."

"**Don't you two see it?! She doesn't want to join! She's said it numerous times already!**" Mio-chan yelled at them.

"Oh come on, Mio. We can't give up yet. After all, we've got a secret weapon now. Right, Azusa?"

"Non, vous dirigez le débile."

(No, you airheaded moron.)

"See? She agrees with me."

"But she was speaking French!"

"_Ugh._ Fine. Mugi you agree with, right?"

…

"Mugi?"

…

"Mugi…"

"_Yes, I can play an instrument. But I have no interest in making music. At least…not anymore._"

"_I just…I have personal reasons._"

_Not anymore? Personal reasons? What could she mean by those? Could it really be…_

"**Yo! Mugi!**"

"H-Huh?!" I suddenly came out of my thoughts through someone calling my name.

"You feeling alright? You spacing out isn't exactly normal."

"Oh, was I really spacing out? Well, no need to worry. I'm fine. I'm just, um…going to head home now."

"Huh? But what about practice?" Yui-chan asked.

"I'm terribly sorry." I said with a bow. "But something just came up. I'll be here tomorrow, though. Goodbye for now."

I then left the clubroom and headed out for the front of the school. While doing so, I went back into my own thoughts. Mainly about what happened earlier.

_No interest because of personal reasons…If what I'm thinking is true, then…d-does Miharu-chan…_

…

_***sigh***__ Miharu Neroni…never did I believed that we would cross paths at long last._

* * *

"Man. Those girls just don't give up, do they? Why is it that I'm their only choice for a new member? They can't ask anyone else? I mean…based on what Nodoka said, there are five sets of 11th grades there. Why can't they ask one of them?"

…

…

"_***sigh***_ Whatever. I need to stop thinking about it. Before that memory comes back to haunt me again. I am here to start a new life. Technically."

I was now walking home from the crazy as hell first day I've had. The schools back home were **WAY** less crazy than here. Here, every moment was something unusual and not normal. And I have to do this for another year and a half? God, give me strength.

I finally reached the hotel and entered it to see that Mikuru sweeping up the floor. The door I came in had a bell at the top of it. So it made a noise once I opened and closed it. Gaining her attention.

"W-Welcome, dear gues…Miharu-san. You have returned."

"Hey, Mikuru. Where's your mom?"

"Mother went to the store to pick up ingredients for tonight's dinner. It is said to be another traditional Japanese cuisine."

"I see. Can't wait for it. I'm just going to lay down a bit. I've had a long day."

"I see. Rest well, Miharu-san." Mikuru said with a bow.

_She's such a nice kid. Didn't Yoriko say that she's always wanted an older sister? I guess she's starting to see that in me._

I went to my room and changed out of my uniform into some comfortable home clothes before laying down on the futon. A few minutes past…and then the few become a lot. Like 40 minutes or so. I couldn't stop thinking of today's events.

And in turn…came **THAT** memory.

"_***sigh***_ Man. I was hoping that I'd never had to think of that ever again. Thanks to those girls, it's back to haunt me once more."

I looked over at the picture of my mom and then later grabbed it. Shedding multiple tears as I held the frame tight in my hands.

"_***sniff***__ Damnit, Mom. Why'd you had to die? You were the only person that truly appreciated my love for…_"

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Y-Yes?" I panicked as I quickly wiped away my tears.

"Hey, Miharu. Did you invite a friend over here?" Yoriko asked as she opened the door.

"Huh? Invite a friend? I haven't even made friends yet."

"Really? Well, there's a girl out front wanting to see you. I thought you invited her."

"What?" I was totally confused. "Okay, now I want to see who this is. Probably a joke or something."

"Alright. If you want. I was just going to throw her out, anyway."

I followed Yoriko out to the front to meet this mysterious girl. And once I caught a glimpse of her, let me just say…"mysterious" is the perfect word to describe her.

"Hello, Miharu-chan."

"What the? Mugi? What are you doing here?"

"So, you do know her?" Yoriko asked me.

"Well…kinda. We did meet during lunch today."

_Though, I still feel like I got screwed…_

"Good afternoon, ma'am." Mugi said with a bow. "I'm Tsumugi Kotobuki. I'm in the same class as Miharu-chan."

"**K-Kotobuki?!**" Yoriko yelled in shock. "O-Oh, are you now? N-Nice to meet you, Kotobuki-san. I'm Yoriko Tamura."

"Nice to meet you as well, Tamura-san."

"So, does this make you two friends, Miharu?" Yoriko asked me.

"Uh…"

_Wait, what was with that reaction? Does Yoriko know Mugi or something?_

"…I guess."

"Well, that's good. Then I guess I'll just leave you two alone for now. Great to see that you've already made a friend, Miharu."

"Thanks(?)." I said with a puzzled look.

Once Yoriko had gone back to tending the other guests, I turned my attention to Mugi, who currently had a small grin on her face.

"Okay, for real. How did you know that I live here?" I asked her.

"I contain magical mind-reading powers and I was able to read your mind."

…

…

"Wh-What? A-Are you serious?" I looked at her with a freaked out look.

"_***giggle***_ No, not really. I was at the airport yesterday returning from a family trip. I saw you getting on the bus that comes to this hotel and I just kept the name as a memory."

"Huh…I guess that makes sense."

_She has a really impressive memory._

"So, why are you here, Mugi? If this is another attempt to get me to join that club of yours then I don't want to hear…"

"Miharu-chan…you seem empty inside."

"**Wh-What?!**" I reacted greatly to what this girl had just said to me.

"_***clears throat***_ I'm sorry. What I meant to say was…you seemed a little sad when you last rejected our invitation to join. I felt like something was bothering you and I grew concerned. So, I came here hoping we could talk."

"Y-You grew concerned? Over me? But we just met a few hours ago."

"I know, but…I just…felt this special bond with you. It may sound weird, but it's true."

"Special bond?" I had no idea what this girl was talking about. And my list of reasons for finding her creepy was steadily growing.

"Miharu-chan…I just want to talk. Can we at least do that? Please?"

…

…

"I…_***sigh***_ fine. I guess it wouldn't hurt to just talk a little." I finally gave in. "You wanna head for my room? It's quiet there."

"Okay. Thank you so much, Miharu-chan." Mugi said with a smile and a few giggles.

_This girl…she's so weird._

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

"Wow…Miharu-chan, your room is amazing." I said as I entered Miharu-chan's room.

"Is it really? Yoriko told me that it's the same as the others. Plain and basic."

"It's the plain and basic that makes it so awesome."

"Huh?" Miharu-chan looked confused.

"I come from a wealthy family."

"Oh. I see. Well, makes yourself comfortable, I guess. There isn't much to do in here. I don't have much."

"It's fine." I took off my shoes and placed my school bag near the door before sitting on one of the pillows at the table. While Miharu-chan sat on her futon.

"So, what do you plan on getting out from me, Mugi? I'm not saying much. I've got things that are personal for a reason."

"I understand, Miharu-chan. So you're a foreigner, correct? What made you move to Japan?"

"I, uh…" Right away, Miharu-chan began to stall. I can tell that she's trying to think of an answer that isn't the truth. Granted, I don't know what the truth is. But whatever she's about to say won't be it.

"Oh, you know. Life stuff. Can't do anything about that. _Hehhehheh_."

"I see."

_Wow. She's worse at lying than Ricchan is._

"And so I moved here on my own. Yoriko's a family friend and she's letting me stay here rent-free. It's all pretty simple from there."

_Pretty simple? I feel like you've purposely skipped a few details, Miharu-chan…_

"So, is that really it? Kinda weird how you came all the way here just to ask why I moved here. That's a pretty weird thing to do…"

"Miharu-chan. I know you're lying."

…

…

"Huh?"

"I'm pretty sure that it wasn't "life stuff" that made you move here. I was hoping you would at least tell me some variant of the truth. But I guess I was wrong to be concern about you."

"Look, Mugi. We only just meet today. I _**wanted **_to be left alone. But you and your friends kept bugging me about joining this stupid club of yours. Not to mention that I was basically tricked into stepping foot into that room with your sweets. So, _**excuse**_ me if I don't trust you. I honestly think you're weird, anyway."

"**I'M** weird because I ended up caring about you wanting to keep your personal matters a secret more than the others? Yui-chan and Ricchan are the ones who keep pushing your buttons. Hell, Ricchan nearly exposed your panties while doing so."

"**Don't bring that up!**" Miharu-chan yelled at me. "I'm still pissed at her for even thinking that I can just forgive her for that. God, do you girls **EVER** take a hint?"

_This girl…she has no manners._

"Hmph. Well, I'm _**SO**_ sorry, Miharu-chan. Sorry that you want to be a loner your whole life. You know…knowing your true feelings, I wonder if your mother was the exact same."

"**You little…how the hell do you know my mother?! And what gives you any damn right to say anything about her?! Let alone that?!**"

"Oh? Do you really want to know? Well, sorry. That reason is **PERSONAL!**"

"_Grr…you little…_coming over here unexpectedly and entering **MY** room talking crap about my mother. **Just who the hell do you think you are, you spoiled rich girl?!**"

_Spoiled rich girl?! Now she's really pushing __**MY**__ buttons! Freaking hypocrite!_

"You want to know?! You _**REALLY**_ want to know?!"

"**Yes, damnit! I **_**REALLY**_** want to know! So, quit wasting my time and tell me already!**"

"**Fine! I'll tell you! My name is** **Tsumugi Kotobuki! AND I'M YOUR HALF-SISTER!**"

…

…

…

…

…

…

"_Wh…Wh-What?_" Miharu-chan stared at me with a look of total shock as her body had completely frozen up.

_O-Oh, no! I've said too much!_

"I-I-I'm sorry! I-I-I don't normally lose my temper like that! I-I-I'm gonna go now!"

I quickly got my shoes on and grabbed my school bag as I made a run for it for the exit. I had to pass by a few of the other guests that were concerned about the yelling and shouting. I would stop and apologize to them all, but I really just wanted to get out of here.

And I was so close, too. But then I felt a tug on my arm. And I knew who it was.

"_Mugi…don't you dare leave. What you just said…what the hell was that?_"

"_Let me go, Miharu-chan. I have nothing to say._"

"Idiot. You think you can just say something like that and leave without explaining it? I thought you were concerned about me. Are you screwing with me again?"

"**I said let me go!**" I jerked my arm out of Miharu-chan's grasps. But unintentionally turned to face her. And I saw the most heart-wrenching thing in my life.

Miharu-chan…she had tears running down her eyes. Mixed tears…of anger, sadness, and emotional pain. And it hurt me because…I was the one that made her feel this way.

"Mi…Miharu-chan, I…"

"Hey. Girls." We heard someone call out to us.

"Y-Yoriko."

"T-Tamura-san."

"Come with me. It seems like…that it's finally time."

Miharu-chan had no idea what she was talking about. But I did. This was actually something that I was never supposed to bring up. To keep hidden forever.

And honestly…I wished I had listened.

_**Author's Note:**_** Wh-What did Mugi just say? She and Miharu are…half sisters?! What secret did she just unearthed from the grave? Find out in the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Later. **


	5. The Duo Family Secret

**Chapter 5 – The Duo Family Secret**

_Wh-What…Wh-What the hell? Wh-What the hell is happening? M-More like…wh-what the hell just happened? What Mugi just told me…sh-she's my…my…my…half-sister?! Is that even a thing?! How did that even happen?! I'm so confused!_

_Mom…what kind of messed-up country is this?_

Mugi and I sat in the Tamura's shared room behind the front counter. Both completely uncomfortable of the other's presence. And we had every right to act such a way. With what I was told not even a day after I moved to Japan.

_I don't think I can handle the craziness much longer…_

"_***sigh***_Aw, damn. Where to start?" Yoriko was rubbing her head in mild confliction as she stared at the both of us.

"S-So is it true, Yoriko?" I asked. "I-Is Mugi…"

"Yes. It's true. The two of you are indeed half-sisters."

"_N…No way. _J-Just how? How did this happen?"

"Well…" Yoriko then turned her attention towards Mugi. "…how much do you know?"

"Honestly…not much at all. I was only told this about a year ago by my father. But I was denied any details."

"_***sigh***_ I figured so. Mikuru."

"Yes, Mother?" Mikuru asked as she came inside the small space.

"Please check on the guests that overheard the yelling. We don't want them to be concerned."

"Yes, Mother. I shall return." Mikuru then left to do such job. Leaving us three alone once more.

"I don't want her to hear this. You understand, right?"

"Well, it depends on what we're about to hear." I said.

"True." Yoriko let out another sigh before continuing on. "You see, Miharu. Your parents were…rather experimental before they got married."

"Experimental? What do you mean?"

"Well…I'm sure that at least Akiyo told you about how she and your father met, right?"

"Yeah, she did. She said that it was a college class trip to Paris and she got separated from the group. Dad helped her and then the rest was history. Correct?"

"Y-Yes. B-But that "history" part…it goes way deeper than you think it does."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"Well, you see…a year or two after they started dating, Akiyo and your father…they decided to try out being…sw-swingers."

I literally had to replay that sentence in my head a couple of times to fully understand what this woman had just told me about my parents.

"**Wh-Wh-What?! M-Mom and Dad?! Sw-Swingers?! The hell?!**"

And even then, I still didn't understand.

"At the time, their relationship was failing hard. And they were looking for a way to save it. As I said, they were _**really**_ experimental."

"B-B-B-B-But…why would they do **THAT** of all things?! I-I-I don't really…"

"M-Miharu-chan." Mugi said to me. "L-Let's have Tamura-san explain it more."

"B-B-But…"

…

…

"F…Fine. I-I guess you're right, Mugi." I said with a stressed-out sigh.

"S-So, from what Akiyo told me…it was a year or two after they first got together and their relationship was in trouble. So, they tried this swinging thing and met two people while your father was visiting one weekend. I don't really remember much about them. But the name that they went by was…"

"Kotobuki…wasn't it?" Mugi asked.

"Yep. On the nose."

"I see…" I can tell that Mugi was just as upset about this as I was. Despite her saying that she knew a little more about it than I did. I mean, she is the reason why we're being told this 17 years later.

By a family friend and **NOT** by either one of our parents, I might add.

"S-So…I-I can't believe I'm about to ask this. B-But how did…h-how did we become…you know." The amount of blush on my face is indescribable right now.

"You really want to know that?" Yoriko asked.

"Tamura-san. I think it is in our best interest that we know…_**th-that**_ part." Mugi said. "A-After all…we don't exactly look similar enough to be quarter-sisters. Let alone, half-sisters."

Mugi had pointed out that our hair color is completely different, our eye color is different, her eyebrows are thicker than mine, I'm a little taller than her, and the biggest difference…Mugi's 100% Japanese. I'm mostly French.

If people were to look at us, they surely wouldn't buy the whole "half-sister" thing. I sure wouldn't.

"Well…you do have a point." Yoriko then went silent for a bit. "How it happened is…the two groups would often switch partners and it's to be believed that…the semen from both of your fathers mixed inside the eggs of your mothers and…well, there you go."

"O-Oh, wow." This was all we could say as our faces became even redder than before.

_Maybe we were better off not knowing that part…_

"S-So I have Kotobuki DNA inside of me?" I asked.

"It isn't enough to be noticed. But that is the case. The same for Kotobuki-san. You both have minor similarities like the length of hair, height, tone of skin color, your noses are quite the same, your body builds, too. And…"

Yoriko went silent once more as she looked at the two of us.

"…And the breast size. Definitely the breast size. No mistaking it."

"Gee. Thanks." Mugi and I said with a sweatdrop. Kinda weirded out that we have the same breast size thanks to our parent's miscellaneous sex adventures.

"And so, this has remained a double family secret for many years. It wasn't until Akiyo got terminally ill that it got brought up again. Which is how I'm guessing you found out. Right, Kotobuki-san?"

"Yes, that is correct. But as I stated before, my father didn't go into details. All he said was that I have a half-sister somewhere in France and that her name was…" Mugi then went silent as she turned to look at me. And soon after, I did the same.

"Miharu Neroni…" Mugi said.

"Tsumugi Kotobuki…" I said.

"S-So…We really are sisters." We both said. Still with some form of disbelief.

"W-Well…more like 50% sisters. But I guess it still counts." Yoriko said.

"Wow…"

"Mother. I am finished." Mikuru said as she came in the small area.

"How are they, Mikuru?"

"They seem to be fine. I explained that it was a private issue between staff. Everything has calmed down now."

"_***sigh***_ That's a relief. At least they're not suspicious or anything."

"I'm sorry for causing such a disturbance." Mugi said. "I don't think I've ever lost my temper like that before."

"I'm sorry too, Yoriko." I added. "It's just all of this was so sudden and…"

"I understand. I doubt anyone could control their temper during a spur of the moment like that. I'm just glad it didn't get physical."

"Although…if it did get physical…"

"Mugi…" I retorted as she (for some reason) grew a small smile on her face.

"S-So…wh-who it this guest?" Mikuru asked.

"Oh, right. Mikuru, this is Tsumugi Kotobuki. And she's…well…she's my half-sister."

"Half…sister?" Mikuru looked confused.

"It's complicated. But also true."

"I-I see…"

"This is my daughter, Mikuru. She's 14." Yoriko said to Mugi.

"I see. Nice to meet you, Mikuru-chan."

"Ah. N-Nice to meet you…K-Kotobuki-san."

"_She's a little shy. But she is a nice girl from what I've seen so far._" I whispered to Mugi.

"_I see. She really is cute._"

***INSERT RINGTONE CHIME HERE***

"Oh, dear. I gotta get home. I didn't think I was here for so long."

"I'll walk you out."

"Thank you, Miharu-chan." Mugi said with a giggle.

* * *

The two of us left the small Tamura residence and were currently standing near the front entrance. About to part ways for the day. For real, this time.

"S-So are you…with your parents…" I asked.

"N-No. A-At least…not tonight. A lot was told to me at once and I really need to think it over."

"Yeah. Same here. I probably won't call my dad for a while. Need some space, you know."

"I can understand." Mugi then went silent for a bit. "H-Hey…Miharu-chan."

"Yeah?"

"I-I'm…a-about what I said about your mother. I-I didn't know she had passed away."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine. I wasn't planning to bring it up, anyway."

"Is her death…the reason you're here?"

"Yeah, kinda. Her one wish was to bring me here and show me what Japanese life and culture is like. She never got the chance. So, I'm doing it for her."

I then went silent on my own. Thinking of the events that took place on freaking day 1 of my new life.

"Although…now that I think about it, did she plan on telling me all of this? And introducing me to you?"

"I'm afraid I can't really answer that, Miharu-chan."

"R-Right." I said while rubbing the back of my head.

"Well, I must be going. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Sure. Oh hey, Mugi."

"Yes?"

"Um…well…I might drop by your clubroom tomorrow. Just to…I don't know…do something."

Mugi began to giggle at me. I'm guessing that she figured out what I was trying to say. And as part of her response, she grabbed my hand and held it with hers.

"We'll be expecting your arrival, Miharu-chan. _***giggle***_"

"Geez. It's like you already know me."

"Well, I kinda have to now…Sis."

"Tch! S-Sis?!" I tensed up with shock. And seeing this made Mugi blush a little.

"T-Too soon?"

"**W-WAY** too soon."

"Y-Yeah. I was hesitating in my mind. But I guess it didn't work out."

"I see."

The atmosphere went uncomfortably silent for a short while as we were trying to forget that embarrassing moment that happened just seconds ago.

"W-Well, I'm going to go now. See you tomorrow…Miharu-chan."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow…Mugi."

The awkwardness quickly left once Mugi went out the door. My nerves were slowly going down and so was my energy. I was tired as hell. And if I knew one normal thing that came out of this day, it's that I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight.

_Ugh. Japanese life is so tiring…_

_**Author's Note:**_** Hearing the secrets of their parent's younger days, Miharu and Mugi learn the truth about their relation to each other. Of course, it's going to be hard to move on from this. Meeting/learning about your half-sister for the first time in your 17 years of life isn't something you easily get over.**

**I'm not sure how long this story's going to be. But I am stopping for now. I've got other stories currently active and this one's just a side project. It'll be back soon, though.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	6. First Day of a New Perspective

**Chapter 6 – First Day of a New Perspective**

The next day, my second day of my new life in Japan, came by. And as much as I didn't want to, I got out of bed. What I was told about my parents and…finding out that Mugi and I are related was still bugging me. But the only way to get over it was to continue as normal.

Just with…a few changes.

"_***yawn***_ Morning…"

"Morning, Miharu." Yoriko said.

"Good morning, Miharu-san." Mikuru said.

"I'm surprised you got up at all. I was going to let you miss school today."

"No, it's fine. Yeah, what I learned was rather shocking. But I can't let something like that stop me. I still plan on making Mom's final wish come true. Even if she did some pretty insane things."

"I see. Well, that's some positive thinking."

"I wish you the best of luck, Miharu-san." Mikuru said.

"Thanks, Mikuru. You know, you've opened up to me quite quicker than I thought you would. Giving how shy you are."

"O-Oh, have I? I-I haven't noticed." Mikuru started to blush.

"It's probably because she now has an older sister to look up to." Yoriko said.

"M-Mother!" Mikuru blushed even more.

"Well, I better get going." I said as I got up from the table. Grabbing my schoolbag in the process. "I hear being tardy here is brutal."

"You need me to take you there again?" Yoriko asked.

"No, I'm good. I've got a near-perfect memory. I should know where it is now."

"Interesting…well, good luck."

"Have a good day, Miharu-san." Mikuru said with a bow.

"Thanks. See you guys later."

I left the small Tamura residence and was near the front doors of the hotel. While still inside, I saw someone standing outside. And I think I knew who it was.

"Mugi?"

"Oh. Good morning, Miharu-chan."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well…I figured if maybe that…we could…walk to school together, you know? Get to know each other a little more."

_She does have a point. Other than the fact that she's my classmate and half-sister, I don't really know much about Mugi. And I guess vise-versa can be said, too._

"Alright. We can do that. Sounds like a good idea."

"_***giggle***_ Glad you think so too, Miharu-chan."

"Man. We truly are sisters, huh? To agree on that at the same time…"

"…We're forming a sisterly bond already."

…

…

"I can…I can get used to that." I said with a smile.

"Yeah. Me too. Let's do it together." Mugi said while returning the smile.

"Right."

We both then began walking to school together. Not only as classmates and most likely friends…

But…as sisters, as well.

* * *

**Yui's POV**

"Still, though. I wonder what was up with Mugi-chan yesterday?" I asked this to Ricchan and Mio-chan.

"Beats me." Ricchan said. "She really was acting weird yesterday."

"I even tried calling her and leaving her messages. But I didn't get a response." Mio-chan added.

"Now that I think about it…she started acting that way soon after Miharu left. You think it has something to do with her?"

"Mugi and Neroni-san? We've only met her yesterday. I highly doubt that's the…"

"Hey, guys! It's Mugi-chan!" I cheered. "And she's with…Miharu-chan?!"

"Huh?!"

We looked over at the door and actually saw Mugi-chan and Miharu-chan walking in together. Holding a conversation and even smiling at each other. It was really weird.

"Hold up. Yesterday, she wanted nothing to do with us and now today she's chatting with Mugi? What's up with that?" Ricchan asked.

"I'm not too sure myself." Mio-chan said. "But I do have to admit, this situation does seem hypocritical."

"Here comes Mugi-chan now." I said as we watched the two girls part ways.

"Good morning, everyone." Mugi-chan said.

"Hey, Mugi. What was that just now?" Ricchan asked.

"How did you get Miharu-chan to be friendly to you?" I asked.

"Um…well…" Mugi-chan then went silent for a bit. Which is something she never does. At least, for as long as I've known her.

"It's, uh…rather complicated. I can't talk about it right now. Maybe during lunch at the clubroom."

"Huh? Why then?"

"L-Like I said, it's rather complicated. It'll take a while to explain it all."

"Explain it…all?" We all asked in confusion.

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"I'm sorry for doing this. But please be patient with me. All will be explained in due time." Mugi bowed before heading off to her seat. Leaving us with more questions than answers.

"Now she's acting weirder than yesterday." Mio-chan said.

"That's Mugi for ya. Her motives and reasons are always weird." Ricchan said.

"Really really weird." I added.

* * *

It was now lunchtime and like Mugi-chan said, we met up in the clubroom. Still currently wondering what happened between her and Miharu-chan.

_They were pretty close all throughout the first half. It's really suspicious how just after a day, they became good friends._

_***gasp***__ Maybe it's Mugi-chan's hidden talent!_

"Mugi-senpai and Miharu-senpai friends?" Azu-nyan asked. "I thought she wanted nothing to do with us."

"That's what we thought." Ricchan said. "But this morning, we saw the two of them walking into class together holding a conversation. About what, Mugi never said."

"Huh. That is weird. Well, I guess we'll find out what's up in a few."

"_***sigh***_ I guess."

"Hello, everyone. Sorry for the wait." Mugi-chan said as she walked inside. And following her was…

"N-Neroni-san?" Mio-chan asked.

"Hey…everyone." Miharu-chan said with an awkward pause.

"Okay, seriously. What is going on?" Ricchan asked. "First the two of you become friends and now you've convinced her to come back? Mugi, what is happening?"

"W-Well…" Mugi-chan went silent again. This time, while hanging her head down and letting out a sigh. Two more things she normally doesn't do. "…Wh-What I'm about to tell you all is really big news. And rather important, too."

"_Big and important news…_" I started thinking to myself. "Oh! Are you two dating?!"

"**Y-Yui!**" Mio-chan yelled with a faint blush.

"What made you come up with **THAT**?" Ricchan asked.

"Yui-senpai…" Azu-nyan said with a sweatdrop.

"What? I don't see you guys coming up with answers." I said with a pout.

"Yui. We're not dating. That would be too weird. And somewhat illegal." Miharu-chan said.

"Huh?"

"Somewhat illegal?" Mio-chan asked.

"_Miharu-chan!_" Mugi-chan whispered to her.

"_Crap! Sorry, Mugi. I said too much._"

"**Will you two just tell us already!**" Ricchan yelled. She was slowly losing her patience with the two of them.

"Okay, okay. Calm down, Ricchan." Mugi-chan said before taking another deep breath. Then, after looking at Miharu-chan, she turned to face the rest of us.

_This is it! Here it comes…_

"Well… you see…Miharu-chan and I…we recently found out that…

…

…

That we're…half-sisters."

…

…

…

…

"Wh…**WHAT?! HALF-SISTERS?!**" We all yelled after letting the confession replay in our heads for a bit.

"Wow. It's so shocking that even they don't believe it." Miharu-chan said.

"**W-Wait, hold on! The two of you are sisters?!**" Ricchan asked.

"Well, technically…we're 50% sisters. We have half of each other's DNA."

"H-How did **THAT** happen?" Azu-nyan asked.

Mugi-chan and Miharu-chan went silent again. This time, gaining deep blushes on their faces while looking away from us.

"O-On second thought…maybe it's best if we didn't know."

"Th-Thank you…Azusa-chan."

"Th-Thanks…Azusa."

"Still, though. Half-sisters? How can you really tell by just looking at you both?" Mio-chan asked.

"Well, according to my mom's friend that I'm staying with, Mugi and I have minor similarities. Like length of hair, height, tone of skin color, our noses are quite the same, our body builds, too. And…" Miharu-chan then turned to face Mugi-chan.

"And what?"

"And, uh…our breast sizes are apparently the same." Mugi-chan said.

"_Oh, really?_" Ricchan, Azu-nyan, and I said with a little envy inside us all.

"_***sigh***_ Aw, geez." Mio-chan said with a facepalm. As she's the only one who can't relate to that problem.

_So freaking lucky…_

"And since yesterday, we've been trying to get to know each other. As we never knew that the other existed for the past 17 years." Mugi-chan said. "Which is why you saw us walking into class together. Sorry for worrying you all."

"Don't sweat it, Mugi." Ricchan said. "It must've been hard finding out that you have a long-lost half-sister. We completely understand right, girls?"

"Sure thing." Mio-chan said.

"Makes sense to me." Azu-nyan said.

"It's actually pretty cool that you and Miharu-chan are related." I said. "By the way, who's older?"

"Well…we are the same age. So, I guess it comes down to the month. When's your birthday, Miharu-chan?"

"July 3rd."

"S-Seriously?"

"I'm serious. Why?"

"M-My birthday is…July 2nd."

"Y-You're kidding…"

"So Mugi-senpai is a day older? That's crazy." Azu-nyan said.

"I guess that just proves that you're sisters even more." Mio-chan added.

"Woah…" Both girls said to each other.

"***clears throat*** Well, since that's now done with, we can focus on our main goal again."

"Oh. Right you are, Ricchan." I said to her.

"_***sigh***_ Really, you two?" Mio-chan asked.

"Voulez-vous imbéciles idiots jamais comprendre?"

(Will you idiotic morons ever take the hint?)

"Why did that sound like an insult?" Ricchan asked Azu-nyan.

"Are they talking about…" Miharu-chan asked Mugi-chan.

"Yes. It's that again."

"_***sigh***_ Look, guys. About that…"

"It's fine, Neroni-san. We know that you don't want to join." Mio-chan said.

"W-Well, actually…I was going to say the opposite."

"**Huh?!**" We all yelled in shock.

"Look, I'm not saying that I'm joining in fully. I'm only giving this a trial run. Just to see if I really want to make music again."

"It's one of the things we agreed on as we work through this new bond together." Mugi-chan added. "It took some convincing. Without the sweets this time."

"No way…do you know what this means, Ricchan?"

"Yep. Sure do, Yui."

"_We…_"

"_Finally…_"

"**GOT A NEW CLUB MEMBER!**"

"But I just said…"

"Don't bother, Neroni-san. It'll be hard making _**those**_ two understand." Mio-chan said.

"_**Hey!**_"

"I see. You five seem to be a crazy little group."

"And now, you're a part of said crazy little group. Isn't that great, Miharu-chan?"

"Merveilleux, Mugi…" Miharu-chan spoke in French with a sweatdrop.

_***giggle* Yeah! Now we're**_ _**Ho-kago Tea Time +1!**_

_**Author's Note:**_** Miharu and Mugi tell the others what they were told the day before. And in the end, Miharu attempts a trial run of the club. Though, she has other reasons for not wanting to do this in the first place. Reasons to be revealed in due time.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	7. The Test of Musical Bonds

**Chapter 7 – The Test of Musical Bonds**

**Azusa's POV**

"Tu sais. Je suis vraiment content que tu aies rejoint notre club, Miharu-senpai."

(You know. I'm really glad that you joined our club, Miharu-senpai.)

"Vraiment? Je pensais que tu acceptais que je ne rejoigne pas."

(Really? I thought you were okay with me not joining.)

"Pour être honnête, je ne voulais tout simplement pas trop vous pousser. Comme comment les autres ont fait."

(To be honest, I just didn't want to push you so much. Like how the others did.)

"Je vois."

(I see.)

"Aussi ... je suis juste content de ne plus être novice dans le groupe!"

(Also...I'm just glad that I'm no longer the newbie in the group!)

"**Quoi?!**"

(**What?!**)

"_***giggle***_ Pardon, Miharu-senpai. Même si tu es plus âgé que moi, il semblerait que tu devras apprendre les bases de moi! C'est bien!"

(_***giggle***_ Sorry, Miharu-senpai. Even though you're older than me, looks like you'll have to learn the basics from me! It's great!)

"Vous avez attendu ce jour, n'est-ce pas?"

(You've been waiting for this day, haven't you?)

"Ouais je l'ai. Depuis que je suis moi-même membre de ce club. Certes, j'ai dû attendre sept mois pour que cela se produise. Mais je suis content que ce soit finalement le cas."

(Yeah, I have. Ever since I joined this club myself. Granted, I had to wait seven months for it to happen. But I'm glad it finally did.)

"Intéressante…tu es une fille très sournoise, Azusa."

(Interesting...you're a very sneaky girl, Azusa.)

"Uh…guys."

We looked in front of us to see the other older girls staring at us with confused looks.

"Since we're going to be around each other a lot, could you two ease up with the French?" Ritsu-senpai asked.

…

…

"_J'ai honnêtement oublié qu'ils étaient là._"

(_I honestly forgot that they were here._) I whispered to Miharu-senpai.

"_Ouais moi aussi. Je suppose qu'ils ne nous intéressent plus lorsque nous parlons français._"

(_Yeah, me too. I guess they become irrelevant to us when we speak French._)

"_Oui, ça y ressemble…_"

(_Yeah, it sure looks like it…_)

"Okay, I don't know what you two just said. But for some reason, I feel insulted."

"Ah, bon alors."

(Oh, well then.) We both said as we shrugged our shoulders.

"**What does that even mean?!**" Ritsu-senpai yelled at us.

"Neroni-san." Mio-senpai said. "It's great that you have someone to speak French with. But for the sake of less confusion, could you go easy with it?"

"_***sigh***_ Alright, alright. Sorry for the confusion."

"Glad you understand."

"By the way…why do you call me by my last name?"

"Well…because it's something we do here in Japan. It's a sign of respect."

"What she means is that we call each other by our last names until we gain the right to use first names. Like if a group become friends or something to that nature." Mugi-senpai said.

"I see. So…aren't we friends? I mean, I've been here for a few days now."

"Well, duh." Ritsu-senpai said.

"Of course!" Yui-senpai cheered.

"You're my friend **AND** my half-sister." Mugi-senpai said.

"We're totally friends, Miharu-senpai." I said.

We all then looked at Mio-senpai, who had stayed silent during the whole thing.

"W-Well…I-I didn't think we were that close already. B-But, sure. We're friends, Neroni-san."

"That's great. So, can you call me by my first name? Being called "Neroni" sounds kinda weird to me."

"I-I-I, uh…" Mio-senpai then went silent again.

…

…

…

"S…Sure…Mi…Miharu. _***sigh***_ If that's what you want, Miharu."

"Great! Merci, Mio!"

"What?"

"She said "thank you" in French." I said.

"Oh, sorry. I switch to French mid-sentence when I'm excited."

"Oh. That's pretty cool, Miharu-chan." Yui-senpai said.

"Yes, indeed. It really is interesting."

…

…

…

We looked over to where that extra voice came from. And when we finally noticed her…

"**Gah!** **Vieille dame effrayant!**"

(Creepy old lady!)

"I don't know what you just said. But I feel insulted for some reason." Sawako-sensei said to Miharu-senpai with a pissed-off look.

"Join the club, Sawa-chan." Ritsu-senpai said.

"**When did you get here?!**" Mio-senpai yelled.

"Just a few seconds ago. I came in while you girls were talking earlier."

"Why didn't you knock?" Yui-senpai asked.

"I'm a teacher and your advisor. I shouldn't have to knock."

_But doing so would be nice…_

"So…this is a teacher?" Miharu-senpai asked.

"This is Sawa-chan. She's our homeroom teacher, Miharu-chan." Mugi-senpai said.

"Huh. Now that I think about it, I think I remember seeing you."

"**H-How could you forget your own teacher?!**" Sawako-sensei asked.

"Well, I don't really know you."

"**I'm your teacher!**"

"Well, I get that now."

"_***sigh***_ And besides, I don't remember giving any of you permission to call me by that name."

"Well, everyone else started doing it once we did." Ritsu-senpai said. "It's too late to force the change now."

"_***sigh***_ Just great…"

"So, why are you here? Aren't you busy with the Wind Ensemble Club?"

"It's the off-season." Sawako-sensei said as she took a bite of one of the sweats Mugi-senpai had brought. "We won't be doing anything until Christmas. So, I'm back here once more."

"_Great…_" Mio-senpai and I said with a sweatdrop.

"In other news…congratulations, Kotobuki-san. Finding your half-sister must be a huge milestone, isn't it?"

"You could say that." Mugi-senpai said. "Though, we've only known each other for 3 days at this point. So, we've been getting to know each other as much as we can."

"Mugi's been coming over to my place every day after school and we talk about what our lives were like before meeting each other." Miharu-senpai added. "Although, I'm _**REALLY**_ jealous of Mugi's so far. How are you so freaking rich?"

"Well…"my father" is a successful businessman and such. It just kinda happened."

"I see…"

_Wait, why did she put _"_my father_" _ in parentheses?_

"I see…" Sawako-sensei said. "Well, you're in for a treat, Neroni-san. These nutjobs are always having a good time together."

"**Wh-Who are you calling nutjobs?!**" Ritsu-senpai took offense to that.

"Yeah, I'm that I am. Thanks again, uh…"

…

…

"…Wh-What was your name again?"

"**I'm Sawako-sensei! YOUR TEACHER!**"

"Right…" Miharu-senpai gained a sweatdrop.

"_***sigh***_ Geez. Foreigners are always the tough ones." Sawako-sensei then took a sip of the tea Mugi made. "It makes me wonder how she's going to work out in the band."

"Band? What band?"

"The five of us formed a band together." Yui-senpai said. "We named ourselves Hō-kago Tea Time!"

"Ho…Ho…Ho…ka…go…?"

"Yui. You know that Miharu doesn't know any Japanese." Mio-senpai said.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Yui-senpai rubbed the back of her head.

"Hōkago means "after school" in Japanese." Ritsu-senpai said.

"So…After School Tea Time? I don't get it."

"It represents us getting together after school as friends and doing stuff."

"Mainly eating snacks, drinking tea, and talking about random topics like we're in Lucky Star or something." I added.

"Like what?" Miharu-senpai asked.

"**Azu-nyan! Don't break the 4****th**** wall!**" Yui-senpai yelled at me. To which, I rolled my eyes.

"It doesn't sound like you guys practice at all."

"Hey, we do practice! And we make really good songs, too!" Ritsu-senpai said. "What do you say, girls? Shall we prove it to her?"

"Alright!" Yui-senpai cheered. "I'll get Gitah!"

"Who?"

"Her guitar." Mugi-senpai said to Miharu-senpai.

"She **NAMED** her guitar?"

"Come on, Miharu. It's not that weird. Mio named hers Elizabeth and Azusa named hers Mu-tan."

"**R-Ritsu!**"

"**R-Ritsu-senpai!**" Mio-senpai and I yelled with a faint blush of embarrassment.

"That's…really weird. Is this a common trend?"

"No, not really. I play drums, but I didn't name them. It's too embarrassing and childish."

***POW***

***POW***

"_Ow…_"

"**You're the LAST person we want to hear that from!**" Mio-senpai and I shouted after hitting Ritsu-senpai in the head.

"You girls are freaking weirdos…" Miharu-senpai said.

"Well, you're a part of us now. So you're a weirdo, too." Mugi-senpai said with a giggle.

"_***sigh***_ _Fils de pute…_"

I would translate what Miharu-senpai had just said under her breath, but I'm not the one to curse. Even in a different language.

_Though if I did, I could probably get away with it…_

"Well, you girls have fun." Sawako-sensei said. "I've got papers to grade so I can't watch."

"Alright." Yui-senpai said. "Okay, Miharu-chan! Prepare to be amazed! As the Light Music Club's Hō-kago Tea Time is about to perform to you our most popular song! Fuwa Fuwa Time!"

"Fu…wa…?" And…Miharu-senpai was confused again.

"Aw, geez. Let's just start playing before she starts asking questions again." Mio-senpai said.

"Right! **LET'S GO!**"

* * *

***DURING THE PREFORMENCE…***

And so I sat in a chair as I watched these girls play this song on their instruments. Yui, Mio, and Azusa each had a guitar, Ritsu played the drums, and Mugi…I didn't think she could play a keyboard so well. It's kinda odd based on what she's told me about her life so far.

As for the song itself…I honestly have no idea what they're saying. It's in Japanese, after all. But I have to admit, they are pretty good. The fact that they're in-sync with each other is rather impressive.

Although…there **IS** one question that I have.

"So. How was that, Miharu-chan? Pretty good, right?" Yui asked me.

"Well, to be completely honest…I have no idea what the lyrics are."

"Right…" The five girls gained a sweatdrop.

"But other than that, you girls are really good. I'm actually impressed."

"Wow. Thanks, Miharu." Mio said.

"But I do have one criticism. What kind of music was that?"

"We like to think of ourselves as a Pop Rock band." Ritsu said. "We rock out till we can't rock out anymore!"

_That sounds reckless…_

Isn't this the Light Music Club?"

"Yeah." The group answered.

"Then…what you just played…isn't Light Music at all."

…

…

…

…

…

"**WHAAAAAAAAT?!**" And then they all shouted in shock.

"Wait. You mean you didn't know?"

"**Of course not! We just assumed that Light Music was a general term!**" Ritsu yelled.

"So, you're saying that Light Music is its own genre?!" Mio asked.

"Yeah. It is. Light music is, basically, a less-serious form of Western Classical music. It originated in the 18th and 19th centuries but it was most popular in the mid‑20th century."

"Western Classical music? Wow." Mugi said.

"That's…nothing like the songs we play." Ritsu said. "Not even close."

"Well, it's also known as "mood music" and "concert music"."

"Ooh! We definitely play at concerts!" Yui said. "And our music brings the mood to everyone that listens, too!"

"Is that mood a calm one?" I asked.

…

…

"W-Well…no."

"It's basically the complete opposite." Azusa said.

"So, then…why is this called the Light Music Club?"

"Well..." Ritsu said. "The thing is…Mio and I actually found this club to be abandoned. This is actually the first time it's been active for years."

"Really? Just how old is this club?"

"Like _**really**_ old. As in, it was around when Sawa-chan went to school here."

"Wait, she did?"

"It was a shock to us, too." Mio added.

"I see…"

_Well, I was right about her being old…_

"It was just Mio, Yui, Mugi, and I last year. And then this year, we got Azusa. And then not long after that, we got you."

"I see. So even then…you couldn't just Google what the genre was before starting it?"

"Look, Miharu." Ritsu started getting defensive as she continued speaking. "Getting this club up and running once again was a lot of hard work, you know. And so what if we're not playing the right music. We're pretty damn good and a lot of people think so, too. So if you're going to criticize us for not knowing about what it means, then you can just…"

"Ricchan!" Mugi yelled.

"_***sigh***_ Alright, I get it." I said as I stood up from the chair.

"M-Miharu-chan, wait!"

"No, it's fine, Mugi. I can take a hint."

"Ricchan!" Yui then yelled at her.

"W-Wait! Th-That's not what I…"

"You girls seem really passionate about this. Alright, I'm in."

"M-Miharu, this a huge misunder…**WAIT, WHAT?!**"

"Wow. You were right, Mugi. Being convoluting and conniving really is fun."

"_***giggle***_ See? I told you, Miharu-chan."

"Wait, what the hell is going on?" Ritsu asked.

"So sorry, everyone. But all of this was planned out in advance."

"**What?!**" The four girls yelled.

"Miharu-chan really wanted to be sure that joining this club wouldn't be a mistake or a waste of time. So, I suggested that she push our buttons a little to get our true feelings about making music together."

"So, basically…this was the "trial" Miharu-senpai was talking about?" Azusa asked.

"Pretty much." I said.

"And I couldn't have any of you suspicious. So, I played along as well." Mugi added.

"I see. I think I understand it all now." Mio said.

"Man. The two of you tricking us like that. You really are sisters." Ritsu said.

"I guess we are." We both said with a giggle and a smile.

"So, it's official, right?! Miharu-chan's a part of the band now?!"

"Yes, Yui. I'm in. What you been wanting since earlier this week." I said.

"**Yay! Alright! We got a new member! For real, this time! Let's go out and celebrate!**"

"You mean now? Sorry, I can't. I'm supposed to pick up dinner for everyone from Knock-Off McDonald's."

"It has a name, you know." Ritsu said.

"Yeah. Knock-Off McDonald's."

"**That's not it!**"

"Well, it looks a lot like McDonald's."

"**But it's not McDonald's!**"

"_***sigh***_ Whatever. It's still food. See you guys tomorrow." I said as I grabbed my school bag and headed out the door.

"See ya." The others said.

* * *

***A LITTLE WAYS DOWN THE ROAD…***

"You're really tagging along with us, Mugi?" I asked as we walked through the streets together.

"Sure. I really don't mind, Miharu-chan. Think of this as a…family gathering of sorts."

"Yeah, but what about your family? W-Well, you know what I mean."

Mugi went silent for a bit as she lowered her head in sadness.

"Mugi…"

"M-Miharu-chan…c-can I…can I stay with you guys for a while?"

"Huh? What about your mansion?"

"I, uh…don't live there anymore. I was kicked out."

…

…

"A…**ARE YOU SERIOUS?!**"

_**Author's Note:**_** Miharu officially joins both the club and the band! It's all happy news…until she learns that Mugi was kicked out of her home! What could've happened to cause this event? The next chapter explains all.**

**Quick fact. Miharu's French will only be translated whenever Azusa has a POV. Since she can speak it and all. Other times, she'll translate it mid-sentence. It's to keep this extra trait of hers special in some way.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	8. Kotobuki Conflict

**Chapter 8 – Kotobuki Conflict**

**Mugi's POV**

"Huh? You got kicked out?"

"That's what she told me." Miharu-chan was telling Tamura-san why I had come over with more stuff than the other days that I came for a visit. I was too much in a depressed mood to do it myself. So Miharu-chan did it for me.

"Let me guess…it has something to do with you two being half-sisters, huh?"

"Yes. It's true." I said. "After a few days of collecting my thoughts about the subject, I had finally brought it up to my father. The thing is…he wasn't really happy about it."

"I see. So, it led to an argument between the two of you."

"A really bad one. So bad, in fact…that it led to me being forced out of the place that I grew up in. And with nowhere else to go and my funds cut off, I came here. Sorry for the sudden arrival."

"Can't Mugi stay here, Yoriko? She can bunk with me." Miharu-chan suggested.

"Well…" Tamura-san looked unsure of the idea.

"Please, Mother? It would be the right thing given the current situation." Mikuru-chan added.

…

…

"_***sigh***_ Alright, fine. Since you're technically related to Akiyo, I can't really turn you down. I don't have the heart to do that."

I let out a sigh of relief as my living situation was solved for now.

"**BUT!** There are some rules. Don't make a lot of noise during the day. Lights out at 11. And if you're going to be living here, you're gonna have to help out around here. The same goes for you, Miharu."

"Sure thing." Miharu-chan said.

"Thank you so much, Tamura-san. I'm so sorry for all of this." I said with a bow.

"It's fine, really. At least you two will be together a lot more often now. And that Mikuru has a second older sister to look up to."

"M-Mother, please!" Mikuru-chan yelled with a faint blush.

"Anyway." Miharu-chan said. "I can get you set up in my room for the time being. It should be big enough."

"Sure thing, Miharu-chan." I said with a smile.

_Looking out for me like this…she's starting to look like the older sister now._

"I'll send Mikuru for you both when dinner is ready." Tamura-san said.

"Thanks, Yoriko."

"Thank you, Tamura-san."

* * *

Miharu-chan took me to her room in the back of the hotel. It was the same size as the others. Which, by the way, was really…tiny. I'm probably saying this because of the fact that I had a gigantic room of my own for most of my life. But it was the first thing I noticed when taking a proper look at it.

"_***phew***_ Here it is. I knew there was a second futon around here somewhere."

"Miharu-chan…I can't tell you how sorry I am for making you guys do this for me. There must be some way to repay you."

"Quit apologizing, Mugi. It's fine, really. I mean…we are family, right?"

_F-Family?_

My heart skipped a few beats when I heard that word. It was a word that was rarely said to me. Mainly because of my background as the daughter of a successful businessman.

A rich-girl stereotype that's, unfortunately, all too true.

"Yeah…family. That we are, Miharu-chan." I said with a smile.

…

At least, I thought I did. Because Miharu-chan was staring at me with a concerned look on her face.

"Wh-What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just…I-I've been wondering. Wh-What exactly happened…when your parents found out that I was here in Japan?"

"Y-You…You really want to know? It's pretty…hurtful."

"Bah. I don't care if it is. I know who my parents are. I'm not going to let the crappy words of some snobby old man put me down."

"_Hey…_" I grew insulted. Even if it is true.

"Sorry. My point is, it won't affect me at all. So, come on. Tell me."

"_***sigh***_ Alright. You win. So, it went like this…"

* * *

***YESTERDAY…***

_Alright. Here I go. After some time mentally preparing for whatever outcome happens from this, I'm ready to face them about it. They have to know…that I know everything._

"I'm home."

"Oh, Mugi dear. Welcome home. How was your day?"

"It was good. As usual." I then looked around the room. "Where's Mother?"

"Your mother had some business to take care of overseas. She'll be back in a few days."

"Oh. I see."

_I guess this makes it somewhat easier…_

"Now then. If you don't have anything else to say, please leave me be for now. I'm quite busy myself, you know."

"A-Actually, Father. I do have something to say."

"Hm? You do, huh? Well, make it quick. Time is money."

_The stereotype is so real…how was I completely blind to this for 17 years?_

_His main concern is money. As with most successful people are. The only good thing from this is that he doesn't neglect his family like most would do._

…

_Well…he doesn't neglect __**MOST**__ of them._

"Father…I've met her."

"Her? What are you talking about, Mugi?"

"I'm saying…I've met Miharu Neroni. My half-sister."

…

…

…

…

"I'll call you back, Sakamoto." Father said after an awkward moment of silence. Hanging up his phone and placing it on his desk. "Mugi. I thought I told you to not bother with it."

"How could I, Father? This whole time, I thought I was an only child. But to think that I had a half-sister…in a different country, no less. And the way that it happened, too…" I then started to blush as I remember how Tamura-san explained how the two of us became to be. That part, I just can't comprehend.

"That is none of your concern. The main thing is that you disobeyed me. How did you even meet that child, anyway?"

"Well…I'm sure you know a woman named Akiyo Neroni, correct?"

"Akiyo?!" Father went silent for a bit. "***clears throat*** Yes, I did knew her well. It is truly sad that she had passed so soon. But that doesn't explain how the two of you crossed paths."

"Actually it does, Father. Akiyo made one final wish to her daughter that she wanted her to know what Japan was like. And so that daughter fulfilled that wish and moved here a little over a week ago. The same time we came back from our family trip."

"**Wh-What?!** It happened by such a random chance and I couldn't stop it! For once, the scales of life were against me."

"And she goes to my school, as well. Where we have bonded together and…"

"Mugi! That is enough! I forbid you from having any contact with this girl! Do you hear me?!"

"Father, why?! Why are you neglecting her like this?! She technically **IS** your daughter!"

"Mugi! What's said is final! That child is not part of this family! Forget about her and forget about this conversation!"

"Father…I cannot do that. I cannot neglect her like how you are. I love Miharu. She is my sister and I will forever acknowledge it! I refuse to be alone once again!"

Father slammed his fist on the desk in front of him in a fit of rage. Experiencing that his "only" daughter is disobeying him. A rebellious move that I bet he never expected.

"_Mugi…get out._"

"I'm sorry?"

"Get out…**Get out of this house! If you chose to disobey me, then you do not deserve to live under this roof! Pack your stuff and be out by the end of the week!**"

_So…that's how it is, huh?_

"Hmph. Very well, Father. I shall take my leave. And I'll be with someone who **WANTS** to accept the truth. Someone who isn't a coward like you."

"**E-Excuse me?!**"

"I shall return for my stuff in the coming days. Goodbye, Father." This was the last thing I said to him before turning my back towards him and leaving the place that I used to call home.

Whether or not this was a huge mistake on my part…I'm not really sure.

* * *

***PRESENT TIME***

"W-Wow. Mugi, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, Miharu-chan. Telling my father about you was something I wanted to do since the day we met. So, I can cross that off my bucket list."

"Yeah, but…you were basically kicked out of your family. Everything you grew up with is…well, gone."

"_***sigh***_ Yes, I know. But…now may be the chance to create my own background for once. I've been in my father's overprotective shadow for most of my life. And now it's time I finally make a name for myself. Time to spread my wings!"

"You're…oddly happy about this." Miharu-chan said with a sweatdrop.

"Well…it's mainly because I'm with you now. My half-sister."

"I see. Well, I can easily say the same thing about you, Mugi."

"Thank you, Miharu-chan. You're the only family I have left now. I'm glad to have met you."

"That being said…do you really need to add the "-chan" part to my name?"

"Huh? I don't understand."

"Mio did say that we call each other by our last names until we gain the right to use first names. Like if a group become friends or something like that?"

"Actually, I was the one who said that…" I said with a sweatdrop. "…But yes. That is the case. But I already call you by your first name. why bring this up?"

"Well…" Miharu-chan rubbed the back of her head. "These honorifics are a little bit hard to get used to. "All of these "-chans" and "-sans" and "-senpais" and "-senseis". Plus, there's the fact that I don't know any Japanese."

"I see."

_Right. Even though we're sisters, she is still French._

"So…will "Miharu" do just fine?"

"Well, that is my name. Just without the "-chan"."

"_***giggle***_ Alright, then. Consider it done…Miharu."

"Merci beaucoup, Mugi." Miharu said. "That means "Thank you very much", by the way."

"Wow. That's amazing, Miharu."

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Yes?" Miharu answered the door.

"Miharu-san. Kotobuki-san. Dinner is ready."

"Oh, right. Thanks, Mikuru. We'll be right there."

"O-Okay." Mikuru-san said before closing the door. Leaving us two alone again.

"Looks like dinner's done. Ready to eat?"

"Weren't you were supposed to pick up food from "Knock-Off McDonald's"." I asked.

"Yeah, I was. But Yoriko got something even better."

"Really? What's that?"

"Knock-Off Taco Bell! Yum!"

I laughed a little hard at what Miharu sees the restaurants here in Japan. Yes, they are cheap knock-offs of popular fast-food restaurants. But no one has ever pointed it out before.

Or maybe they just didn't want to.

"You're one special sister, Miharu." I said with a smile.

The two of us then made our way to join the Tamuras for dinner. The first of many now that I live with my half-sister.

_And for once, not feel alone._

_**Author's Note:**_** Mugi and Miharu now live together after the former confronts her father of his "secret" second daughter. Which doesn't end well at all. Now the two work on making their familiar bond grow even more as they live under the same roof.**

**This will most likely be the last chapter for the month. I'm working on another story and I want that finished by Halloween. So, this one will be going on a short break.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	9. Ritsu's Proposal

**Chapter 9 – Ritsu's Proposal **

**Ritsu's POV**

"For real? You got kicked out of your mansion, Mugi?" I asked her while us two, Mio, and Yui were waiting for morning classes to start.

"_***sigh***_ Yes, that is the case. My family, mainly my father, didn't take kindly to the fact that I've accepted Miharu as my half-sister. And so a fight between me and him led to me being kicked out. But I'm living with Miharu at her family friend's hotel."

"Wait, Miharu-chan lives in a hotel? _Aw, she's so lucky! Living that luxury life._" Yui whined.

"Uh…actually, Yui-chan. It's not like that. We each have to help out around the place as collateral. But we do get paid for it. A really fun part-time job. _***giggle***_"

_Well, at least she sounds happy about that…_

"But what about your family, Mugi?" Mio asked.

"Well…I know I'm going to have to make up with them eventually. But as for now, it doesn't seem like it'll happen anytime soon. But at least I have Miharu with me."

"I see."

"Hey, where is Miharu anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, she's getting a snack from the vending machines."

…

…

…

"Uh…Mugi."

"R-Right. I should probably go help her." Mugi said before heading out of the room to help her half-sister with the vending machines.

"Gee. Poor Mugi-chan." Yui said.

"Finding out that she has a half-sister and getting kicked out of her house for accepting her. That's gotta be rough." Mio said.

"She said it was her father, right?" I asked. "I may not know what exactly happened for Mugi and Miharu to be related in that way, but the fact that the guy is refusing to accept Miharu as a part of the family just pisses me off. The absolute nerve of him."

"Well, he could have his reasons, Ritsu."

"Mio does have a point." We suddenly heard a new voice.

"Nodoka-chan! Morning!" Yui cheered at the sight of her childhood friend.

"Sorry for intruding. But I couldn't help but overhear. So, Mugi got thrown out because of the incident with Miharu-san?"

"That's what she told us." I said. "Although, she didn't seem all that bothered with it. She's just glad to be with Miharu, from the looks of it."

"Yes. The two have gotten closer since finding out they were related. A lot has changed in the month since Miharu-san moved here."

"A month?" Yui and I asked.

"Aren't you two aware? This Saturday would make it one month since she moved to Japan."

"Wait, seriously? It's already been a month?" I asked in shock.

"Even I have to admit. I didn't notice, either." Mio said.

"Oh, yeah!" Yui yelled. "We haven't thrown Miharu-chan a welcome party yet! We can do that for her this Saturday!"

"We've got school, Yui." Nodoka said.

"Oh, yeah…"

"But Sunday could work."

"**Oh, yeah! That can totally work!**"

"Yui…calm down." Mio said to her.

"Yeah, we can totally do that." I said. "Everyone free on Sunday?"

"Yep." Yui said.

"For now, yes." Nodoka said.

"I am, too." Mio said. "But that leaves Azusa. And we don't know if Mugi and Miharu would be busy working that day. Plus, we don't know where to have said party."

"Oh, that…I think I can work something out." I said with a small grin.

"What are you up to, Ritsu?"

"Nothing to worry your pretty little head about, Mio."

_Nothing. At. All._

* * *

"_***sigh***_ Bon sang. What even are these snacks? I can't read a single one."

Here I was struggling to get a quick morning snack because I can't read a single damn line of Japanese. I know it's to be expected that they'll have Japanese snacks in a Japanese vending machine…but they could've at least had English written somewhere on the package. Kinda common sense when you have tourists from other countries constantly coming here.

_And in my case, live here._

"Geez. Am I really going to have to guess which one and hope for the best? I don't wanna yolo my stomach…"

"Miharu-senpai!"

Over in the distance, I saw Azusa heading towards me. Along with two other girls. Possibly her friends.

"Oh. Hey, Azusa."

"What are you doing? You seem like you're struggling."

"Hehhehheh. You see, I'm trying to get a morning snack and well…"

"Oh. I get it now." Azusa then giggled for a little bit. "Don't worry, Senpai. I'll pick one out for you."

"Phew. Thanks, Azusa. You're a lifesaver."

As Azusa was helping me with the vending machine, I noticed her two friends standing nearby. One of them had brown hair tied up in a small ponytail. While the other had slightly darker hair with small fuzzy pigtails.

Whatever floats their boat, I guess.

"So, you're Miharu Neroni the transfer student?" The brown-haired girl asked me.

"Yeah, I am. Do I know you?"

"Well…no. But my sister does. I'm sure you know her. She's in your class."

"Huh? She is?" I then took a closer look at the girl.

_Now that I look at her, she does look a lot like…_

"Are you…Yui's sister, by any chance?"

"That's right. I'm Ui Hirasawa. Her younger sister. Nice to meet you, Miharu-senpai."

"And I'm Jun Suzuki. Nice to meet you, Senpai."

"I see. Nice to meet you both as well." I said.

"Here you go, Senpai. These should work out." Azusa said as she handed me a bag of chips.

…

At least, I think it's a bag of chips. I can't tell because the freaking label is in Japanese.

"Uh…"

"They're potato chips. It's fine." Azusa said.

"Really?" I opened the bag and nervously ate one chip. "Oh…Oh, it is a potato chip! Yes! Finally, something I can recognize!" I then proceeded to eat more chips.

"So, you really don't know any Japanese huh, Miharu-senpai?" Ui asked me.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I really don't. My parents do. But for some reason, they never bothered to teach me any. So, I'm only fluent in English and French. Luckily, Azusa knows all three."

"I still can't believe that you can speak French." Jun said to Azusa. "Tell me, are French people really dressed in black & white clothes, have a white face, and think they're in a tiny box all the time?"

"That's racist, Jun."

"H-How would you know?! You've never been to France!"

"Actually, she's right. It's completely racist." I said. Being the only person in this group to have gone to France.

"**What?!**"

"And besides, what you just described was a mime."

"Aren't all French people mimes?"

"_What?_" I was starting to get pissed off.

"Jun-chan. Please shut up." Ui said to her. "Sorry about her, Miharu-senpai."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine. I guess I can let it sly…for now." I said that last part while looking at Jun with a threatening look.

"Tch. O-Okay, I get it. No more."

"Thank you."

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Oh. Time for class."

"Do you need me to help you out during lunch too, Senpai?" Azusa asked.

"Ah, no. I'm okay. I planned ahead and brought leftovers from last night's Knock-Off Taco Bell."

The three girls in front of me all then gained a sweatdrop.

"Uh…I'm pretty sure it has a name, Senpai." Jun said.

"Yeah, but it looks a lot like Taco Bell. Seriously, how did they not get sued yet?"

"Right…"

"Ah, whatever. I'm gonna go now. Thanks again for the help, Azusa."

"You're welcome, Miharu-senpai." Azusa said as I began walking to class. Still eating the chips that she picked out for me.

"Are these seriously potato chips? They're freaking delicious."

As I continued eating & walking (not as bad as drinking & driving, but I still shouldn't be doing it), I ran into someone on the way to class.

"Miharu."

"Oh. Hey, Mugi. What are you doing out of class?"

"I was looking for you, dummy. Why didn't you go to the vending machine next to the second-floor bathroom?"

"There's a vending machine next to the second-floor bathroom?"

Mugi just stared at me with a look that I'm pretty sure meant "Are you freaking kidding me right now?".

"You really are a handful, Miharu."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I said while feeling insulted.

"So, how did you get the chips? Did someone help you?"

"Oh, yeah. I ran into Azusa earlier. She picked this out for me. I also met her two friends. I think one of them was Yui's sister."

"Oh, do you mean Ui-chan and Jun-chan?"

"Yeah (I think). They were with her when they found me. They seem nice. Although, Jun really needs to cool it with the stereotypes."

"Well…you kinda expect that from people who have never been to France."

"_***sigh***_ I guess. And I didn't know Yui even had a younger sister. She seems …mature for her age."

"_Just wait until you compare them side-by-side…_"

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself." Mugi said with a giggle. "Anyway, let's hurry and head back to class. The first lesson's about to start." She then began pulling my arm as we made our way back to class.

"Huh? H-Hey, wait! I didn't finish my Japanese chips!"

* * *

**Ritsu's POV**

"Let's see…**Aha!** Here it is! Burossamuheizu Minshuku. "A family-owned Japanese-style bed and breakfast resort located near the outskirts of Shiga. Home of the recently rewarded most relaxing hot spring in the district." Geez. Miharu lives **here**?"

"That's some fancy hotel. Must be expensive." Yui said as she, Mio, and I were looking up the place on the computer in the clubroom.

"Yeah, no kidding. It'll definitely put a dent in my allowance."

"Why are we even looking this place up?" Mio asked.

"Because, Mio. Wouldn't it be great to have the welcome party here?"

"Huh? Are you serious?"

"Sure. I mean, it's big enough for all of us. They have a room made especially for reserved parties."

"Yeah, but…"

"And besides, we could possibly even perform there."

"**Wh-What?! A-Are you serious?!**"

"I'm dead serious."

"**N-Nonononono! Y-You can't be! Th-This has to be a joke! Please tell me this is a joke!**"

"Mio…it's not a joke."

"_***whine***_" Mio then lowered herself onto a nearby chair. Wallowing to herself in sorrow.

_***sigh***__ This girl…she really needs to get over her stage fright already._

"Je vous le dis, Azusa. le deuxième est meilleur que le premier. De loin aussi."

"En aucune façon, Senpai! C'est certainement le premier qui est meilleur. Il y a une certaine sensation d'émotion, vous savez? Être dans l'espace pour la première fois."

"Oui, c'est ça. Mais dans le second cas, vous voyagez essentiellement dans le temps et l'espace. Et ne pas aspirer dans un petit espace tout le temps. C'est _**TELLEMENT**_ ennuyant."

"Mais le sent, Miharu-senpai. **Les sentiments!**"

We were suddenly staring at Azusa and Miharu as they were (from what it looks like) arguing in French about something. With Mugi, Nodoka, Ui, and Jun standing along with them.

"Uh…what are they talking about?" I asked.

"We're…not sure." Mugi said.

"We heard the name Mario pop up somewhere. So, it could be about that." Jun added.

"I see…" I gained a sweatdrop.

"I never would've expected Azusa-san to speak perfect French." Nodoka said.

"Yeah…it was a shock when she first told us." Ui said.

"Why is everyone here?" Yui asked.

"Ritsu-senpai told us to come." Jun said. "She said it was something important."

"Huh?"

"Ritsu, what is going on?" Mio asked.

"Well, I'll tell you what's going on, Mio." I said. "But first…"

I then turned back to Azusa and Miharu, who were still arguing in French about…whatever the hell it is that they're talking about.

"D'accord, je vais vous donner une chose à propos du premier. Il a le meilleur niveau de la série. **Jardins Venteux, pour la victoire!**"

"**Jardins Venteux?!** Es-tu sérieux?! Le meilleur est évidemment Planètes Œufs!"

"Hein?!"

"Guys!"

"Quelle?!" Both girls looked at me with an angered look. It was then that…

One. I had gained another sweatdrop.

And two. They had both realized that they were speaking French the whole time. Leaving the rest of us completely confused.

"O-Oh. Sorry, you guys." Miharu said.

"We got so caught up in our conversation that we forgot that you were here." Azusa added.

_**Forgot that we were…*sigh***__ never mind that for now._

"Anyway. Now that everyone is here, I have a little proposition to offer."

"A proposition?" Everyone asked.

"What are you talking about, Ritsu?" Mio asked.

"I'll tell ya. Miharu, you live in this Burossamuheizu place, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We've decided to throw you a little welcome party and I plan to have it there."

"H-Huh? W-Wait, a welcome party?"

"You know. To welcome you to Japan and celebrate you being here for almost a month."

"And to welcome you to our club."

"What Yui said."

"W-Wow. Thanks, guys. But…I'm pretty sure my guardian won't allow it to happen. At least, not for non-guests."

"That's were my proposition comes in. If we all pitch in, I'm sure that we can afford at least one room. Two, if we're lucky."

"Senpai. Minshukus tend to be really expensive. Ranging between 5,000 and 10,000 yen per person and night." Ui said.

"10,000 yen? Is that bad?" Miharu asked.

"Think of it as it costing 9,836.73 CFP Franc per person, per night." Azusa said.

"**Th-That much?! That's highway robbery!**"

"How the hell do you know French currency?" Jun asked Azusa.

"I had to know it when I took that French class in middle school. It wasn't easy in the slightest."

"Geez…"

_At this rate, Azusa might as well just move to France._

"And besides. How are we supposed to rack up that amount of money in such a short time?"

"Wait, can't Mugi-senpai pay for it? I mean, she's loaded right?"

"Uh…well…th-that's no longer an option." Mugi said while looking away from the first-years.

"Why not?" Ui asked.

"Well…"

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"**Seriously?! That bastard!**"

"I know, right? The nerve of that guy!" I yelled. Agreeing with Jun.

"Eh…it's fine, really. I'm hoping that they come around soon." Mugi said. Seemingly calm about the whole thing.

_I just…I just don't know how she does it. Staying calm like this._

"So, if we really want this to happen, we really gotta work for it. Somehow."

"Can this really be done in a week?" Azusa asked. "Getting at least 35,000 yen for 7 people seems highly illogical."

"Don't doubt it, Azu-nyan." Yui said. "If we all try really hard, I'm sure we can do it. For Miharu-chan's sake."

"Why are you making it sound like I'm dying?" Miharu asked.

"So, Miharu. We can count on you for getting that reserved spot, right?" I asked.

"But I just said that my guardian probably won't agree to it. It's a small hotel. Not a freaking party arcade."

"Right." Mugi said. "Yoriko-san would most likely decline due to the guests staying there."

"I see. I understand your predicament now."

…

…

…

Once again, we looked over to where that extra voice came from. And when we finally noticed her…

"**Gah!** **Vieux professeur effrayant dont je ne me souviens pas du nom!**"

"Seriously! Why did that sound like an insult?!" Sawa-chan yelled at Miharu.

"**Don't you ever knock?!**" Mio yelled.

"Again. I'm your teacher and your advisor. I shouldn't have to knock."

"_Again. Doing so would be nice…_" I heard Azusa whisper to herself.

"Anyway, what did you mean by "understanding our predicament?" I asked.

"I mean…this guardian of yours is named Yoriko right, Neroni-san?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Wait, how do you know her name?" I asked.

Sawa-chan didn't answer right away and instead stood up from the chair she was sitting on. Then she began heading calmly (and a little smug-like) towards the door.

"Just leave this to me, girls. I got this covered." She said before leaving the room.

…

…

…

"Okay, I don't trust her." I said after the deep silence. "Let's catch up before she gets too far."

"Yep." Mio said.

"Uh-huh." Yui said.

"I agree." Mugi said.

"Good idea." Azusa said.

"Is there a reason why you don't trust her?" Miharu asked.

I then walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. While giving her a _**very**_ serious look.

"Miharu...you are in for hell."

This only made Miharu worry even more. And rightfully so.

_**Author's Note:**_** Had a brain fart while writing this one. I couldn't remember what Jun's last name was and it took me a while to find it. I know I could've just used the Wiki. But…Wikis act weird on my computer. I tend to avoid them unless I **_**really**_** need to.**

**Oh, by the way. The first argument that Miharu and Azusa were having was basically "which is better: Galaxy 1 or Galaxy 2?". And then the second one was "which is better: Gusty Garden Galaxy or Good Egg Galaxy?" Just a little nod to the Galaxy series as a whole.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	10. Yoriko's Unwanted Reunion

**Chapter 10 – Yoriko's Unwanted Reunion**

"Wait, hold on. What was her name again?"

"Okay, seriously. How do you keep forgetting our teacher's name?" Ritsu asked me. The six of us were heading for the hotel to somehow convince Yoriko about this welcome party Ritsu wants to throw for me. That teacher lady said she'll help us out. But once we got out of the school building, we lost sight of her.

Which, according to Mio, Ritsu, and Azusa, was a bad sign.

"Well…I'm just not around her much. Kinda makes it hard to remember her name."

"Again. She's our teacher."

"Her name is Sawako Yamanaka." Mugi said. "But everyone calls her Sawa-chan."

"Aren't you supposed to call a teacher by their last name? I mean…it's something I do with my teachers back in France."

"It's a thing here, too." Ritsu said. "Just not with her."

"The name Sawa-chan just stuck." Yui said.

"Much to her dismay." Azusa added.

"I see…" I said with a sweatdrop.

"Speaking of Sawa-chan, I can't believe we already lost her." Mio said.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask…what exactly is weird about uh…Sawako?"

"You're not gonna call her Sawa-chan?" Yui asked.

"Eh. I'm not really a fan of these honorifics. They're too hard to remember."

"Fair enough." Azusa said.

"Well…" Ritsu said. "…She kinda does this "punishments" either whenever we piss her off too much or whenever her "switch" is flipped…she basically tries to get us to wear these provocative outfits she has. Mainly Mio."

"_Why is it always me…?_" Mio said while shaking in fear.

"But they do look cute." Yui said.

"_Right…_" I said.

_I find that part hard to believe…_

"Well…she said that she would help us talk to Yoriko. Can't believe she ditched us like that."

"Like I said, Miharu. This is a bad sign. We to get to that hotel before she does or else we're screwed." Ritsu said.

"Uh…okay, I guess."

_How is this woman a teacher if she's so unpredictable?_

* * *

10 minutes later, we arrived at the hotel. And we walked inside to see Mikuru sweeping up the main lobby. One of her daily jobs.

"Hey, Mikuru. We're back." I said.

"Oh. Miharu-san. Kotobuki-san. Welcome back."

"***gasp* Oh, my gosh! She's SO cute! I wanna cuddle her!**"

"Gah! Wh-Who are you?"

"Cool it, Yui! Or else you'll ruin our chances!" Ritsu said as she held on to Yui by the jacket collar.

"S-Sorry."

"Hey, Mikuru. You alright? I heard you yell." Yoriko said as she came into the lobby and then saw us with her. "Oh. Miharu and Mugi. And…more girls." She then looked annoyed.

"_Hehhehheh._ Yeah, pretty much." We both said.

"Girls. May I have a word with you?"

"Oh, boy…"

The two of us went with Yoriko and Mikuru to their small residential space to at least have privacy about this.

"Look, you two. I don't know where you keep finding these homeless girls, but they are **NOT** staying here."

"N-No, Yoriko. They're not homeless." I said.

"They're our friends and classmates from school. They want to ask you for an offer of sorts." Mugi added.

"An offer? Of what kind?"

"Uh…"

And so we explained to the Tamura family what Ritsu had told us. How she wants to throw a party here to celebrate me being in Japan for a month and for joining their club. Which is also a band.

I'll probably be really confused during rehearsals and stuff. But, hey. I guess it'll still be fun.

"A welcome party? Here?" Yoriko asked after we met up with the others and were now talking it out.

"We know this may sound really sudden, Tamura-san." Ritsu said. "But we're all enjoying being friends with Miharu and we feel like this welcome party would be the perfect way to show it. Even if it is a month late."

"I…guess I see what you mean. You've made a lot of friends in your short time here huh, Miharu?"

"Yeah…" I said with a sweatdrop. "…But Ritsu and I weren't exactly on good terms at first."

"I-I said I was sorry. Me nearly exposing your panties was not intentional at all."

"Wh-What?" Yoriko asked.

***POW***

"S-Sorry about that, Tamura-san. Ritsu can be an idiot at times." Mio said after hitting Ritsu in the head.

"Uh-huh…" Yoriko shrugged the whole thing off. A lot faster than I did on that day.

"M-Miharu-san. These girls are weird." Mikuru said to me.

"Yeah. They're extremely weird, Mikuru." I said with another sweatdrop.

"Well, it's nice that you girls are such good friends with Miharu that you want to do this." Yoriko continued. "But unfortunately, the reserved room is no longer in use. It took some heavy damage during the last typhoon and it hasn't been fixed since."

"What? Aw, phooey." Yui said.

"Well, that was a bust." Azusa added.

At that moment, Mugi and I looked at each other with different looks. Mugi had a smile on hers while I looked at her with a "You can't be serious…" look.

"_Mugi. Are you kidding me?_" I whispered to her.

"_Come on, Miharu. It's your party. We should make this happen._"

"_Yeah, but…__***sigh***__ fine. I'll do it. But I'm not happy about it._"

"_***giggle***__ Thank you, Miharu._"

"Hey, guys. What are you whispering about?" Ritsu asked.

"Well…we were saying that we'll clean up the reserved room."

"**S-Seriously?!**"

"You'll do that?" Yoriko asked us.

"I have been truly grateful for you allowing me to stay here, Tamura-san." Mugi said. "Doing this for you would be the ultimate source of gratitude."

"Well…even if you say that, the mess is huge. It could take you two a full day or two to fully clean it."

"Well, now that you mention that…"

"We'll be perfectly fine." Mugi said as she covered my mouth.

"_Pourquoi toi petit…_"

"Well, if you two insist, then I can't really refuse it."

"_***sigh* **__Putain de merde…_"

"M-Miharu-senpai…" Azusa said. Clearly knowing what I had just said in French.

"Alright, then." Ritsu said. "We'll leave clean-up duty to you girls. Come on, let's go get something to eat."

"Where we going? Knock-Off McDonald's?"

"**It's not…McDonald's!**" She then yelled at me.

"But it looks a lot like it. Even the logo. But they changed the "M" to a "W"."

"**Still different!**"

_I don't see it._

"Oh. By the way, Tamura-san. Did you happen to see a woman with long brown hair and glasses come in here?" Mio asked.

"Oh, yeah." Yoriko said. "Mikuru. You can let her out now."

"Yes, Mother." Mikuru said with a bow.

"Uh…let her out?" We all asked in confusion.

"Just watch."

Mikuru went over to an old bamboo dresser and removed the mop that was blocking the two doors from opening. Once that happened…we saw our teacher flung out of it and land on the floor.

"Wh-What the hell…?" We all asked.

"**N-Not cool, Yoriko! I could've suffocated in there!**"

"I had to, Sawako. Knowing you, I had to protect my daughter and the remaining guest here."

"Heh. So, I see that you still don't trust me. I guess _**someone's**_ still having sweet memories about dressing up for little 'ol…"

"Mikuru, lock her up again."

"Yes, Mother."

"**O-Okay, okay! I'll shut up! Just don't put me back in there!**"

"Just as I thought."

"Wait, you two **KNOW** each other?!" Mio asked.

"Oh, why of course." Sawako said as she got up from the floor and pushed up her glasses. "Yoriko Tamura and I were once classmates during our days of attending Sakuragaoka."

"**WH-WHAT?!**" Us schoolgirls all yelled in shock.

"Mother, is this true?" Mikuru asked her mother.

"_***sigh***_ Yes, it's true. We were in the same class for all three years. And it was a complete mess."

"How?" I asked.

"Well, for starters…she's secretly a pervert."

"_Secretly_?" Mio and Azusa asked as if the "secretly" part was pointless.

"Watch it, you two!" Sawako threatened them.

"And for the most part, I always had to go to that clubroom and tell her to keep the freaking noise down. And then she and her bandmates would annoy me even more by making me lose focus on why I was down there in the first place."

"Hey, it's not my fault you're gullible."

"Mikuru…"

"I-I take it back." Sawako said with a panicked reaction.

_She must really not want to go back in there…_

"Go to that clubroom? Were you a member of the Light Music Club, Tamura-san?" Mugi asked.

"No, I wasn't. Believe it or not, I was a member of the student council."

"Woah! Just like Nodoka-chan!" Yui said.

"Who?"

"Another friend our ours." I said.

"I see. Anyway…I didn't think you would be teaching at that school, Sawako. Tell me…do you give these girls a hard time?"

"Well…"

"Yes." Ritsu said.

"Kinda." Yui said.

"To an extent." Mugi said.

"_She makes us wear embarrassing cosplay costumes!_" Mio and Azusa yelled as if they were about to cry.

"N-No one asked you girls!" Sawako yelled.

"_***sigh***_ Just as I thought…" Yoriko said with a facepalm.

"How are you a teacher?" Mikuru and I asked.

"Tch! F-Forget this! You girls are on your own with asking Yoriko for the reserved spot!"

"We already got it done. You were of no help." Ritsu said.

"**Gah!** _What…Whatever._" Sawako then slumped out of the hotel in a completely bad mood.

"Is she gonna be okay?" I asked.

"She'll be fine." Yoriko said. "Just give her a few hours and a beer or two and she'll be her normal self by tomorrow."

"_Yeah. Her normal self…_" Mio and Azusa said in a sorrow tone.

"_Those two look scarred for life._" I whispered to Mugi, whose only response was a chuckle and a sweatdrop.

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

"_Ugh! Mugi! I can't believe you got us to clean that reserved spot this weekend!_" Miharu whined as we were both sitting in the hot spring water enjoying a bath.

"Cheer up, Miharu. Once we get this done, we'll be able to have the party."

"Yeah, but…you saw how big that room was. There's no way we'll finish it in one day."

"That's why we have two."

"Huh? I don't get it."

"Tomorrow is Kinrōkanshahi, or Labor Thanksgiving Day. School is closed on that day."

"Really? Well, that's freaking lucky." Miharu then went silent for a bit. "But, um…what's Labor Thanksgiving Day?"

"Well…" And then I went silent trying to think of a good way to explain it to her. "…You know how America celebrates Thanksgiving Day?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it like that. But without the big parades and closed stores and the turkey."

"I see. So, what do you do here?"

"On Labor Thanksgiving Day, we're thankful for the workers who do their job and do it well. Sometimes you literally thank those people in person. Elementary school kids usually use this day to make thank you cards and gifts for municipal workers like police, firefighters, and hospital workers."

"Oh, wow."

"It's also a day to spend time with your family and enjoy a family dinner together. Referencing America again, it's basically their version of Labor Day and their version of Thanksgiving Day just put together."

"Wow. That's a lot for just one day."

"Yeah. I guess."

"By the way…you said, "Spend time with family". Are you going to do that?"

"Of course. I've got you and Tamura-san and Mikuru-chan…"

"Mugi. That's not what I meant."

_Damnit. I was hoping she wouldn't catch on._

"You're gonna have to make up with them eventually."

"_***sigh***_ I know, Miharu. It's just…all my life, I lived under complete control. I know that's to be expected as a minor, but…for me, it was different. I was taught to obey everything and not question anything. Even if it looked really bad. So, standing up to my father and telling him off like that…I felt this…rush of excitement flowing through my body. Like these overprotective chains of mine have finally broken. And I can be my own person for once. Have you ever felt like that, Miharu?"

…

…

…

Miharu was currently staring at me with a look of pure shock and amazement (and probably a little confused).

_Guess I went overboard…_

"S-Sorry, Mugi. But I can't really relate to that. My childhood wasn't as easy as yours."

"Right." I said.

_Come to think of it, Miharu's never told me about her childhood. Or what life in France is like, to begin with._

"But…I kinda get what you're saying. You just want to live as a normal teenage girl, right?"

"It's all I ever dreamed of."

"I see."

…

…

…

…

"Hey…Miharu."

"Yeah, Mugi?"

"If…If I wasn't your half-sister…would you still been nice to me?"

"Huh? Where is this coming from?"

"Just…something on my mind."

"Okay. Well…if we're being completely honest…that night when we had that fight. If you didn't tell me that we were related, I…I honestly would've hated you."

"_***sigh***_ Yeah. Kinda figured you'll say that. I did go too far with it all."

"But…"

"Huh? But?"

"But…now that I've gotten to know you more…even if we weren't related, you would've at least been my best friend."

"B-Best friend?" I then felt tears coming out of my eyes. A rapid amount of them falling from my eyes, dripping down my face and landing in the hot water we're in. My body felt warm and my heart was beating fast. It could because I've been in here for so long, but on the other hand…I felt…I felt…I-I felt…

"_M-Mi…Miharu…_"

"M-Mugi? A-Are you okay?"

"_Miharu…__**I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!**_" I latched over to my half-sister and hugged her really tight as I let more of these tears out from my eyes.

"**W-Woah, Woah, Woah! M-Mugi, what's up with you?!**"

"_***sniff***__ What? I can't hug my half-sister?_"

"I-I'm not saying you can't. I-It's just that we're in a hot spring bath, completely naked, and our breasts are currently pushing against each other."

"_They really are as big as mine…_"

"**Mugi!**"

"_***giggle***_ Okay. I'm done." I said as I let go of Miharu. "But thanks for letting me hug you, Miharu. I really needed it."

"_***sigh***_ You're welcome, I guess. Just give me a heads up next time. You freaking scared me."

"Oh? Scared of a little…_sisterly bonding_?" I teased.

"D-Don't make me hit you." Miharu started to blush.

"_***giggle***_ I'm kidding."

"Girls. Time to come out."

"Alright, Yoriko."

"Alright, Tamura-san."

"_***sigh***_ Anyway…I enjoyed that talk too, Mugi. We should have more of these together."

"Same here." I said. "A-And, uh…Miharu. C-Can I ask you something?"

"_***sigh***_ Mugi. Just because we're the same size, doesn't mean that you can keep borrowing my underwear like this!"

"Come on, please? It's either that or go commando!"

"If you're going to live here, then go get your own underwear from your place."

"I'm…working on it. It just takes a while, okay? Just let me borrow a pair."

"_Ugh._ Fine. But you owe me for this."

"I know, I know." I rushed over to catch up with Miharu as we got dressed and headed for bed. Ending another day together with my half-sister.

The…The only family member I can rely on right now.

_**Author's Note:**_** The welcome party plan goes off on a rocky start, Sawako and Yoriko reunite (much to Yoriko's dismay), and Miharu & Mugi have another bonding moment. Sounds like an eventful chapter to me.**

**Fun Fact – Labor Thanksgiving Day is actually (as of right now in Japan time) tomorrow. So, I might have an extra chapter ready by this time tomorrow. Or maybe the day after. Depends on how busy I am.**

**Next chapter will debut a character that I'm putting a little twist on. I got this idea based on uh…**_**other**_** types of K-ON! fan work and want to implement it here. More on that next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	11. Crushing on Labor Thanksgiving

**Chapter 11 – Crushing on Labor Thanksgiving**

**Mugi's POV**

"_Ugh._ So, we're really doing this, huh?"

"Come on, Miharu. It'll all be worth it in the end."

"_***sigh***_ Fine. Whatever."

And so, the next day known as Labor Thanksgiving came along and Miharu and I were spending it cleaning up the reserved spot for this party Ricchan wants to throw. And it really was a complete mess. Holes in the floors, holes in the walls, holes in the ceiling, pipes broken and leaking, and it kinda smelled. Really bad.

"Geez. A typhoon did all of this?" Miharu asked.

"They are known to be very powerful storms."

"Now I'm _**really**_ doubting that we'll finish this in two days."

"We can do it, Miharu." I said as I held her hands together with mine. "I know we can. Let's just start with the small stuff and work our way up."

"_***sigh***_ Alright fine, Mugi. You know, you're oddly excited about this."

"Anytime I get to do any work, I get super excited. I never get to do these types of things back home."

"I see…" Miharu said with a sweatdrop.

"Now then. We can probably start by mopping the floors. And after that, we can…"

"_***shriek***_"

"**Wh-What?! Wh-What happened?!**" I asked.

"**I stepped in mold! **_***whine***_** It's so gross!**"

…

…

…

"Baby."

"**Hey!**"

"I'm kidding. Come on, let's start already."

"_***whine***__ This freaking sucks._" Miharu complained.

So for the next few hours, the two of us cleaned up this giant nearly-destroyed room. We started with the floors (much to Miharu's dismay) and worked our way up to the harder stuff. Like fixing the walls and stuff like that. And I have to admit, it was coming along really nicely.

Although, it still smelled like mold.

_We might have to do something different about that…_

"_***sigh***_ Alright, I'm calling it. I need a break." Miharu said as she sat on the clean floor. With me sitting alongside her.

"Yeah, me too. Although, we did pretty good in just a few hours."

"I guess."

"Hey, girls." Tamura-san said as she came in. "W-Wow, look at this place. You girls did one hell of a job."

"Thank you, Tamura-san." I said. "We put our heart & soul…and Miharu's baby tears…into all of this."

"Hey, what was that about baby tears?" Miharu grew insulted.

"_***giggle***_ I see. Well, if you keep this up, you might just have that party you wanted. Granted, a month late. But I guess it still counts."

"It better be some party for all this work I'm doing."

"Oh, which reminds me. The last of the foreigner guests just checked out and after calculating everything, I've got some extra cash to spare. So, if one of you girls want to, you can go to the corner store down the street and grab some snacks for us."

"Really? Thank you, Tamura-san. I can go do it…"

"I'll do it!" Miharu said while cutting me off.

"Huh? Wait, you will?"

"Sure, why not? I could use the exercise."

"But it'll be in Japanese. As well as everything inside of it."

"I can get someone to help me. It'll be fine."

"Miharu, I really think I should…"

"Kotobuki-san. You have a phone call waiting for you." Mikuru-chan said as she joined us.

"Do I now? I wonder who it could be?"

"The person did not say. All I know is that it is a man's voice."

"A man's voice? _Oh, no…_"

"What?" Tamura-san asked.

"N-Nothing. Just talking to myself. I'll come take the phone in a minute, Mikuru-chan."

"O-Okay, then."

_A man's voice, huh? Why today, of all days?_

"Hey, Mikuru. I'm going to the corner store. You want anything?" Miharu asked.

"H-Huh? O-Oh, well…some candy would be nice. Thank you, Miharu-san."

"Can you really handle it, Miharu?" Tamura-san asked.

"Guys, I'll be fine. If I do this, I might learn some Japanese, right?"

"Uh…I guess." The trio of Japanese girls said. Still looking unsure of it.

"Great. So, uh…what's the name of the place?"

"You don't even know the name of the place and yet, you insist on going?" I asked.

"Hey, give me a break. I didn't think I would get this far."

"Miharu…" I gain a sweatdrop.

"Just look for a sign that has a giant 7 and green text written across it." Tamura-san said.

"A giant 7…with green text…wait, is it 7-Eleven? There are 7-Elevens in Japan?!"

"There are 7-Elevens in France?" I asked.

"Well, no. But I would go to the British Isles a lot and go to the ones there."

"I see…" I gained another sweatdrop.

"Welp, I'm off. Gonna go get a Slurpee!"

"Hey, be careful out there. Don't get lost or anything."

"I won't." Miharu said to Tamura-san as she went to go change.

"Will she really be okay?" I asked.

"It should be fine, I guess. If she does learn a little Japanese from it all, it'll be a good start."

"I guess."

…

…

…

"Tamura-san…d-do I…r-really have to talk to him?" I asked after a small bit of silence.

"It'll be best if you did. You can't ignore him forever."

"I know, but…Miharu…"

"Mugi…it'll be okay. As long as you're by her side, she'll be happy. After all…besides her father, you're the only family she has."

_The only family…_

…

…

…

"_***sigh***_ Okay. I'll do it. I'll take to him."

"Good luck, Kotobuki-san." Mikuru-chan said.

"Thank you Mikuru-chan. That really means a lot."

_Because I'm gonna need all the luck I can get with this phone call…_

* * *

**Himeko's POV**

"Thank you. Come again."

…

…

"_***sigh* **_What a slow day…"

I slumped down behind the counter of my part-time 7-Eleven job bored out of my mind. It's a common feeling when you have a job such as this. But today, my boredom had reached a brand-new level. The reason being obvious.

"_***sigh***_ It's Labor Thanksgiving Day and here I am on the clock. Hell, I'm the only one here. Not even the manager showed up. How did I get stuck working on today of all days?"

I slumped even lower onto the counter wishing that this day was over already. I just want to go home and run the thoughts that constantly run through my head.

These thoughts that I'm talking about are…w-well…u-uh…

"_***sigh***_ _I wonder what Hirasawa-san is doing right now…_"

Well…that.

You see…I sit next to Hirasawa-san in class and she and I are pretty friendly towards each other. Having simple conversations every once in a while…even though I sometimes don't have a clue on what she's talking about. But I listen anyway in order to be nice.

And then there are the times she falls asleep in class. With me sitting next to her, it's kinda my responsibility to wake her up.

W-Well…a-at least I _**try**_ to wake her up. She's a heavy sleeper, but honestly…I sometimes don't want to wake her up. Sometimes, I just find myself staring at her sleeping face. So much so, that I often catch myself going a little too deep with it. There were even times where I almost got caught. Luckily, Hirasawa-san doesn't question things too often.

If this is sounding other than a simple semi-friendship with my classmate to you…well, then you're right.

You see, the truth is…I have feelings for Hirasawa-san. Strong feelings. The type where you just want that other person to know about it, but you're too scared to do so. I'm not sure when it started, but when I realized it…there was no denying it.

I freaking love Hirasawa-san.

…

…

…

But…I know it can never happen.

Two reasons. One. I'm pretty sure she doesn't swing that way. And two. Even if she does, I always see her getting close to that Nakano girl from her band. And the fact that she's a first-year stings even more.

"_***sigh***__ It sucks. What does that Nakano girl have that I don't? How is she able to get so close to Hirasawa-san? __**Just how is she so damn lucky?!**_"

…

…

…

"Great. I'm getting jealous of a first-year. Love really does make you do weird things."

***DOOR CHIME***

"Ah. H-Hello. Welcome to…huh?"

"Wow. The workers greet you here? Japan's 7-Elevens are pretty considerate." I tried greeting to a girl with mildly long brown hair and light-brown eyes who had just walked in. But…I couldn't. I froze up once I recognized who this girl was.

_That's…Neroni-san, right? Does she live around this area? It isn't exactly the most residential area in Shiga._

I watched as Neroni-san walked down each of the aisles in the store. Some she even went through twice. I was really confused by her actions. Until…

"S-So this is candy, right? O-Or is it chips? Wh-What if it's a mixer of them both? Gah! I can't read any of this stuff!"

_Right…she doesn't know any Japanese. I should probably go help her._

"_***whine***__ I just want my Slurpee, man._"

"Um…excuse me." I said. "Do you need any help?"

"Um, well…I was hoping to learn at least some Japanese from all of this. But I guess it's harder than just reading junk food labels, huh?"

"Um…I guess."

_I wouldn't know. I've spoken Japanese all my life._

"So, which here are the best snacks to get? Or, rather…which **ARE** snacks?"

"Well…" I gained a sweatdrop. "In this aisle, none. These are cold & flu pills. The snacks & candy aisle is the next one."

"_Oh._ I see now."

"But if you're looking for tasty snacks, I can help you pick them out."

"Really? Thanks a lot. You saved my butt for sure."

"_***giggle***_ Anytime."

* * *

And so, I helped Neroni-san pick out different kinds of snacks and candies by translating what they are into English. She was put off by most of them. Saying that she didn't want to yolo her stomach.

Whatever that means.

But in the end, she found some that she liked. Quite a lot, actually. Is she really going to eat all of that?

"_Ah._ It's been so long since I had one of these…" Neroni-san said after taking a sip of her Slurpee. "Thanks again for helping me out."

"The pleasure's all mine, Neroni-san."

"Huh? How do you know my last name? Have we met before?"

"Oh, um…I'm Himeko Tachibana. We're in the same class at school."

"Oh, really? That's pretty cool. Hey, since we kinda know each other, can you just call me Miharu?"

"H-Huh? F-First name bases already?"

"I just can't get used to this whole honorifics thing. It's too hard to remember them all."

"Oh. I-I see now. Okay then…Miharu…san. Miharu-san. Sorry. I just can't say it without an honorific."

"Well, it's fine, I guess. Can't really force you."

"I see."

"More importantly…I just can't believe that there are 7-Eleven's in Japan! I can get a Slurpee every day now! Yes!" Miharu-san then took another sip of her Bloop Razzle Slurpee. "_Mmm! So good!_"

"Are there not any 7-Elevens were you're from?" I asked.

"Nope. None at all. I would always have to leave France and go to someplace like London to get one of these. And it's especially a pain around July 11th."

"I don't blame you there. July 11th is like the worst day to be here."

_Especially if you have to work on that day. Like me._

"Right? But for people like me, it ends up being worth it when you get your hands on that free Slurpee after standing outside in the damn heat all day."

"Must be a good feeling."

"Oh, it is the best. Like winning the lotto's biggest jackpot only it's free."

"I see." I said with a sweatdrop.

_To go to a completely different country just to get a Slurpee…Miharu-san must be a loyal fan._

"Well, anyway. Nice meeting you, uh…Himeko. See you in class, right?"

"Yep. See you on Monday, Miharu-san."

Miharu-san began walking out of the store while I went back behind the counter. It was nice talking to her and helping her out. She's pretty quirky for a foreigner. Maybe I'll talk to her again at school.

…

…

…

That is…if I can get Hirasawa-san out of my head.

_***sigh***__ Here I go thinking of her again. I don't know what made me fall in love with her…but I'm in love with her. _

_Maybe it's her kindness to everyone…how she's willing to help everyone. It could be her scatterbrained-like personality…reminding you of a little sister._

_Or maybe…it's whenever she's performing on stage with her band. Strumming along on her guitar as she sings. It's all so mesmerizing. I just can't help but to stare. Mainly at…her…her…_

"_Her cute smile…_"

"Whose cute smile?"

"Huh?" I came out of my train of thought to see someone standing in front of me.

"H…Hi…"

…

"_***shriek***_** H-Hirasawa-san?!**" I then shot back from having my secret crush suddenly appear in front of my face. My fall blocked by the stacked boxes behind me.

"Hello, Hime-chan!"

"**Wh-What are you doing here?! D-Do you live in this area?!**"

"No, not really. I'm out getting some snacks until Ui finishes dinner. But the 7-Eleven near my house was all out of snacks. So, I kept looking and looking…and then I ran into Miharu-chan, who said that she just met you inside here. So…I came."

"You came?"

"Yep. I came."

"_Why?_"

"Huh? Did you say something, Hime-chan?"

"N-No! I-It was nothing! Just a simple sigh, that's all. _Hahahaha._"

"Hmm…I see. _***giggle***_ How was that? I was doing my Nodoka-chan impression."

"It's…pretty accurate, Hirasawa-san." I said with a sweatdrop.

_Doesn't Manabe-san hate that, though?_

"Anyway. I'm gonna go get a bunch of snacks. Wanna join me, Hime-chan?"

"Tch!" I froze up. Repeating that one question in my head multiple times until I got dizzy.

"Hime-chan…Hime-chan!"

"H-Huh, what?! O-Oh. Sorry, Hirasawa-san. I'm, uh…feeling a little dizzy."

"Oh, no. Do you need to sit down?"

"I-I'm fine, really. I'm just gonna go use the restroom. You pick out whatever you want."

"Okie-doki, Hime-chan!" Hirasawa-san did a salute and went off to the aisles. While I went over to the restrooms…quickly…without her noticing that I was rushing over there. And then I locked the door shut and slid down to the floor with my hands covering my face. Hiding away my blushed red face.

"_***moan***_ Why?! Of all days, why today?! I use days off like this to not think of Hirasawa-san! And now…not only is she here, but I'm **ALONE** with her! I don't want this!"

…

…

"W-Well…not now, at least."

I sat there on the no doubt dirty restroom floor thinking to myself what to do in this situation. If there's anything that romance anime has taught me, is that being alone with your crush is **NEVER** a good thing. I had to think of something to get through this.

If I could just…

…

…

"Th-That's it! I know what to do!" I then took out my phone and began dialing a number I had on there. Listed under my emergency contacts along with my mother and father.

Although, the type of "emergencies" are not the same.

"She'll help me. She's done so in the past." I dialed the number and heard the ringing on the other side. But then seconds later…

_*You have reached the voicemail of…Kotobuki, Tsumugi. Please leave a message and try again later.*_

"**WHY ISN'T SHE PICKING UP?!**" I yelled in a panicked frustrated tone.

"Hime-chan. Are you okay in there?"

_**Crap!**_

"Um…I-I'm okay, Hirasawa-san. Really, I am. Are you done picking out snacks?"

"Yep! All done! Can't wait to eat them all!"

_***sigh***__ Oh, well. I'm just gonna have to face her then. I'm all out of ideas._

"Okay. I'm coming out."

I slowly unlocked the door and opened it with a little of my nerves still inside me. But it soon went away once I saw Hirasawa-san.

Well…more like what she had with her.

"H-Hirasawa-san…**Y-You picked ALL of the snacks?!**"

"Sorry, Hime-chan. They were all so yummy-looking that I couldn't decide on a few. So I picked and picked and picked…until I realized that I had this many. _Now I don't know what to do._"

"_Th-This girl…_" I whispered with a sweatdrop. "Um…hey, I got a few minutes before I close up. I can, uh…help you if you want."

"Really?! Oh, thank you, Hime-chan! You're the best!" Hirasawa-san then leaped forward and latched onto me with a hug. While as for me…I froze up again. Frantically deciding on whether to tell her to get off or to return the hug.

With my face blazing hot red in the process.

_Th-Th-This is…heaven…and hell._

* * *

A few minutes later, I helped Hirasawa-san pick out a small portion of the entire amount of snacks she picked out. And I had clocked out and was in the middle of closing up the store.

A problem with all of that…Hirasawa-san waited for me outside.

_My heart is not going to survive much longer…_

"Thanks again for helping me out, Hime-chan. I owe you big."

"Um…don't worry about it, Hirasawa-san. Just helping out a friend. Well, see you in class on Monday."

_This is it. I'm finally going to calm down for the day. And I can relapse on what exactly happened on this crazy holiday._

This is what I thought. As in, I thought it was all over. I was going to go home and try to calm down my romantic feelings for Hirasawa-san.

That is until…I felt something grab my hand.

"Hime-chan! Wait!"

_Aw, come on!_

"Wh-What is it, Hirasawa-san?" I asked.

She didn't answer for a bit. And kept staring at me with her beautiful brown eyes. I swear I was about to lean up and kiss her. But I managed to stop myself.

"Hime-chan! What are you doing tomorrow?!"

"Huh? T-Tomorrow?" I thought for a moment. "Nothing in particular. Why?"

"You should come to a party we're throwing for Miharu-chan."

"For Miharu-san? Is it her birthday tomorrow?"

"No, no. We're throwing her a welcome party. To welcome her to Japan."

"I see. But…she's already been here for a month."

"_***giggle***_ Yeah…it took us a while to realize it. We were just having so much fun with her."

"Okay…I guess." I said with a sweatdrop.

"Anyway. You should totally come, Hime-chan."

"H-Huh? C-Can I really? I don't want to intrude…"

"Nonsense!" Hirasawa-san yelled as she grabbed hold of my hands.

_She's holding my hands! Holy crap, she's holding my hands!_

"You won't be intruding at all! Everyone will be glad to see you! You just have to come, Hime-chan! You just have to!"

_She's so persistent. I wanna say no…in fact, saying no would be the right thing to do. But…that face. That damn cute face of hers! If I have to stare at it any longer, I might just lose control!_

"W-Well…Hirasawa-san…"

"_Hime-chan…_"

_Damnit! Now she's got puppy dog eyes! There's no way I can say no to that!_

"_***sigh***_ Alright. I'll be there."

"**Really?!**"

"Really. Count on it."

"**Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Hime-chan! You won't regret it!**"

"I highly doubt I will, Hirasawa-san."

***INSERT RINGTONE CHIME HERE***

"Hello?" Hirasawa-san answered her phone.

"_Onee-chan! Where are you?! Dinner's almost done and I can't find you anywhere!_"

"Oops! Sorry, Ui. I'll be home in a sec."

"_Please hurry, Onee-chan. It's getting dark._"

Hirasawa-san got off of her phone and then gave her attention back to me. "Well, I gotta go. Ui's getting worried about me."

"So, where's this party going to be?" I asked.

"Oh, right. It's over at Miharu-chan's place. Burossamuheizu Minshuku."

"Th-That place…that's down the street from here. Miharu-san lives there?"

"Yeah. Along with Mugi-chan."

"Kotobuki-san's there, too? Why?"

"Well…"

***RINGTONE CHIME***

***RINGTONE CHIME***

***RINGTONE CHIME***

"Oh, phooey. I gotta go. See you at the party, Hime-chan."

"Bye…"

Hirasawa-san finally made her way back home while I stood there watching her run to the bus stop. Once she was out of my sight…

_***moan***_ _What the hell did I just do? Now I gotta be around Hirasawa-san on my one day off. My _"_relax my feelings_" day."

I stared at my two free hands that were once connected with the hands of my crush. And made a tight fist with both of them.

_I hope that someday…I will confess to her soon._

_**Author's Note:**_** Here's the Labor Thanksgiving chapter that I promised. And the new character that came with it.**

**For those who don't know, Himeko Tachibana is a girl in the same class as the four older girls. She also sits next to Yui, who grows attached to her. She's** **a member of the school's Softball Club and has a part-time job at a convenience store. Her behavior is that of any other high school girl, but she has, in fact, a warm-hearted and polite side.**

**This is her normal bio. Bu the twist that I was talking about is her having a crush on Yui. This is not canon in any sort of way. And it's from that **_**other**_** K-ON! fanwork that mentioned. I at least like the premise so much to add it onto here. It's something different from what you usually see on here.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	12. The (Really Late) Welcome Party

**Chapter 12 – The (Really Late) Welcome Party**

"Seriously?! You spoke to your father last night?!"

"Yep. First time in a few days." Mugi said as the four of us were eating breakfast in the small Tamura residence.

"W-Well…what did he say?"

"What I expected him to say. How I should forget about you being my half-sister and should come home already. And so, I told him off. Saying that he either accepts Miharu or don't bother calling me again."

"And?"

"He hung up after that."

"I see…"

"_***sigh***_ It's what I expected to hear from a guy like him. He was always difficult to compromise with. So, it looks like I'm staying here for a little longer. Sorry to be a burden, Tamura-san."

"It's fine, Mugi." Yoriko said. "You've been a great help around here these past few days. It gives Mikuru a little time to catch up on her studies."

"Her studies?" Mugi and I both asked.

"She's starting high school next year."

"Really?" I asked. "Aren't you 14, Mikuru?"

"Yes. But due to some technicalities, I am able to start high school in the spring."

"Uh…technicalities?"

"I was born on Christmas Day."

"**W-Woah, seriously?! On Christmas?!**"

"It's kinda funny, actually." Yoriko said. "She was actually two days early. I guess you can really call it a Christmas miracle."

"Wow! That's so cool!"

"Your birthday and Christmas on the same day. You really have it made presents-wise, Mikuru-chan." Mugi said.

"_***giggle***_ I guess, Kotobuki-san." Mikuru said with a small smile.

_W-Wow. This is the first time I've seen Mikuru smile since moving here. It's so cute!_

"Hello? Anyone here?" We heard a voice coming from the front lobby.

"Huh? Someone's here to check-in? I don't have anyone scheduled for the rest of the year." Yoriko said.

"Wait, that sounds like Ricchan." Mugi said.

"Ritsu? Why's she here this early?" I asked.

We went out if the Tamura residence to see Ritsu carrying a bunch of small bags with what looked like party decorations inside them all.

"Hey, hey. Morning, ladies. I brought stuff for the party."

"This early, though?" I asked her. "We were still eating breakfast."

"No rush, no rush. I'll just get a head start then. That reserved spot is all fixed up, right?"

"_***sigh***_ Yeah, it is." I then turned to Mugi. "Although, I'm still pissed that you had me do such a tedious task. _I can still feel the mold around my feet._"

"Grow up, Miharu." Was all Mugi said.

"Great, then. I'll just get to work. You guys will show me the way?"

"I'm not." I said. "I'm going to 7-Eleven."

"Y-You rather go to 7-Eleven this early than to help me out?!"

"Hey, for the first time in my life, I can get a Slurpee whenever I want and I'm taking advantage of it."

"Miharu…" Ritsu gained a sweatdrop.

"I'll take you, Ricchan. It's right this way."

"Don't destroy it back up again. I would like other guests to use it in the future." Yoriko said.

"We won't."

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

I took Ricchan to the back where the reserved room was and we started decorating for a little bit. It was still pretty early and I was still a little hungry. So not much was done in the time we worked.

After I ate and changed clothes, though, we got to talking. And, uh…I kinda accidentally brought up what happened yesterday with my father.

"**Oh, my God! Seriously?! What is wrong with him?!**"

Ricchan didn't take it so well.

"Ricchan, it's fine. Me being strained from my parents isn't all that bad. I mean…I still got Miharu."

"Yeah, but you can't rely on Miharu forever, you know. One of these days, Mugi…"

"I know, I know. But…" I went silent for a bit. Wondering what I should say next. "For…For most of my life…I was alone. No one to play with or read bedtime stories with. Both of my parents were too busy with their jobs and didn't really care for me. That's what the butlers and maids were for. Typical rich girl stereotype."

"W-Wow, Mugi. Y-You actually mentioned a stereotype…"

"_***sigh***_ Yeah. I was too oblivious to notice how obvious it all was. I mean, a blonde rich girl who knows little to nothing about common-folk life thanks to her over-protective parents who showers her with anything she wants. How did it take so long to see it?"

"Mugi, you're starting to scare me."

"Huh? Oh. Sorry, Ricchan. I guess I'm not acting like myself, huh?"

"Yeah…I gotta admit. You being sad is not normal at all."

"_***sigh***_ Figures. Sorry for bringing down the mood."

Maybe this whole thing is hurting me more than I actually believe. Yes, I got Miharu. And she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. But…to get such a thing…the relationship with my parents…

_I'm no longer in the same house as them. They rarely even call to check on me. The only time was last night and that wasn't even a check-up and more so a _"_come home right now!_" _type of thing._

_It's like they've…disowned me._

…

…

…

_I-Is this what…r-rejection is like?_

I then felt tears run down my eyes. But unlike the ones with Miharu the other night, these were forced tears of sadness. I couldn't make them stop. It was like a water facet had broke while the water was running and it was flooding my eyes.

I wanted to stop. I really did. I didn't want to cry. Not in front of Ricchan.

But my emotions…they wouldn't let me. I had lost control of my own feelings. After seventeen years of being locked up inside me…they finally escaped.

And I was a mess.

I was crying so much that I didn't even notice that Ricchan was hugging me the whole time. I was that upset that I didn't feel a sudden tingle around my chest.

These bottled-up emotions…they're finally taken over.

"_***sniff***__ Wh-Why, Ricchan? Wh-Why does it…hurt so much?_"

"There, there. Just let it all out, Mugi." Was all Ricchan said as she continued to hug me.

Nothing much was said for a good while. I was too busy crying while Ricchan was too busy hugging me while I cried. This was the first time I've ever cried this much for this long. It was definitely longer than when I was crying over Miharu's naked body.

_Which is incredibly soft, by the way. Don't tell her I said that._

"You feeling better?"

"Yes. I am. Thank you again, Ricchan. I-I…n-needed that."

"_***giggle***_ Yeah, clearly. Just know that if and whenever you need someone to talk to, you always got us. We're your friends and we want to help as much as we can, got it?"

"Sure thing, Ricchan." I said with a smile.

We then hugged each other again to end it all off. But it ended earlier than I wanted too.

Mainly because…

"_L'embrasser…_"

"_L'embrasser…_"

"_L'embrasser…_"

"Cut it out, Miharu." I said to her.

"Miharu?" Ricchan asked.

"Haha. Alright, alright." Miharu said as she fully came into the room with her Bloop Razzle Slurpee in hand. "It's just you two were hugging so much that I thought it was going to happen."

"As if, Miharu. It wasn't like that." I said.

"W-Wait, wasn't like what?" Ricchan asked.

"Miharu was whispering something in French while she watched us hug. And if I had to guess what it means…"

"_***giggle***_ Aw, Mugi. You're picking up my French already. Such a good half-sister." Miharu teased.

"Wh-What did she say?" Ricchan asked.

"I was saying "l'embrasser". Which, in French, means…kiss her."

"**K-K-K-KISS HER?! M-M-M-MIHARU, WHAT THE HELL?!**" Ricchan immediately began to blush profoundly at what she had just learned.

"Huh. So, you're not a lesbo?"

"**L-LIKE HELL, I AM! I mean…no offense to actual lesbians or anything! But I'm freaking straight!**"

"But then what about those stories on FanFiction that depict you and Mio-chan as lovers?" I asked.

"**TH-THOSE DON'T MEAN ANYTHING! A-AND STOP BREAKING THE 4****TH**** WALL!**"

"Alright, alright."

"D'accord, d'accord."

"_***sigh***_ Geez." Ricchan calmed down as she sat down on the floor. "I can totally see how the two of you are sisters."

"_***giggle***_ Right?" We both said.

"Miharu-san. A package came for you." Mikuru said.

"Huh, really? I'm getting mail in Japan? Sweet! Who's it from?"

"Uh…I-I really don't know. The sender's address isn't in Japanese. Or English, for that matter."

"Not in Japanese or English?" Ricchan asked.

"Then it has to be…" I said.

"Oh, yeah! It just has to be from my dad!" Miharu cheered as she took the package from Mikuru and started opening it.

"Your dad, huh? He still lives in France, right?" Ricchan asked.

"Yeah. He couldn't move down here with me because of his work. He's an archeologist."

"Woah…" Us three Japanese girls were amazed.

"Now, let's see what's in here…***gasp* Oh, my God! He remembered! Hell yeah! I got my Switch back!**"

"_A what?_" Mikuru and I silently asked in confusion.

_Such an odd name for a video game console…_

"You got a Switch?" Ricchan asked.

"Hell yeah, I do. Plus a bunch of games, too. Mario Kart, Smash Bros., Puyo Tetris, all that other stuff."

"Ooh! Let's play Smash! I wanna take you down with Yoshi!"

"Yoshi, huh? Hehhehheh. I highly doubt it. I'll dededestroy you with Dedede."

_Was that a pun?_

"**Oh, it's on!**"

"Uh…Kotobuki-san. Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Mikuru-chan asked me.

"Not a clue, Mikuru-chan." I replied with a sweatdrop. "Not a clue."

* * *

Some hours of decorating and destroying Ritsu in Smash (me 3, her 1), everyone had shown up and we were in the reserved room settling down a little. It's really cold outside and some wanted to warm up a little before the party actually started.

"Thank you again for letting us do this for Miharu, Tamura-san." Mio said.

"Well, I couldn't really refuse since this was for her from her friends…but there seems to be a few more than I was originally told."

"Oh, right." Yui said before grabbing hold of her younger sister. "This is my baby sister, Ui!"

"B-B-Baby?! O-Onee-chan!" Ui began to blush out of embarrassment.

"And then here is my best childhood friend, Nodoka-chan!" Yui then grabbed Nodoka.

"B-Best childhood friend? Yui, that's not a thing. Pick one or the other." Nodoka said. Also with a blush of embarrassment.

"I see." Yoriko said with a sweatdrop.

"And then the girl who's already trying to sneak some food is Jun Suzuki. You'll need to keep an eye out on her sometimes."

"G-Geez, way to rat me out, Azusa!" Jun said. "And what was with that description of me?!"

"I see. Nice to meet you all." Yoriko said.

"Hey, where did Miku-chan go?" Yui asked.

"Uh…Miku-chan?"

"She probably means Mikuru." I said.

"O-Oh, right." Yoriko then looked around a bit. "Aw, geez. Sorry, girls. She's a bit shy. Mikuru, come on out. Don't be shy."

"_B-B-But, Mother…_" Mikuru silently said as she peaked out from behind the supply closet door.

"_When did she get in there?_" Mugi and I asked in shock.

"Come on, Mikuru. You can't be this shy when you start high school next year. You gotta get a hold of yourself."

"_I-I-I know, but…but…__***whine***__ I can't do it!_" Mikuru then closed the door in a panic.

"_***sigh***_ That's my daughter for you. When her shyness takes over, there's little hope in convincing her."

"_Aw, phooey! That sucks!_" Yui whined.

"Um…Tamura-san. Do you think I can talk to her?" Mio asked.

"Huh? Can you really?"

"Well…her shyness kinda reminds me of…someone I know."

"You mean yourself?" Ritsu asked with a cheeky grin.

"**Sh-Shut it, Ritsu!**"

"Well, I guess you can try. Though, there are times where not even I can get through to her. She can also be stubborn at times."

"_I-I can still hear you, Mother!_" Mikuru yelled from inside the closet.

"_Strong hearing, too…_" Mugi and I said. Again, in shock.

"I think I can figure out something." Mio said.

"Well, if you insist. Thank you for the help, Mio-san."

Mio went over to the closet door and knocked quietly. We really couldn't hear a word she said because she was whispering at such a low level. Like crazy low.

Then all of a sudden, the door opened and Mio went inside. Blowing our minds to the max as we were trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

"W-Wait, what?!" I asked.

"H-How did she…" Yoriko asked.

"Yep. That's Mio for you. The ultimate shy girl." Ritsu said with a sweatdrop.

"_Damn…_" Was all Yoriko and I could say at the moment.

And then a minute or two after that, both girls had come out of the closet. Mio looking pretty satisfied while Mikuru was a lot calmer than before.

"My God…that's the fastest Mikuru has ever calmed down. What did you say to her?" Yoriko asked Mio.

"Sorry, Tamura-san. But I promised Mikuru that it would stay between us. It's a very sensitive topic to her."

"I hope you understand, Mother." Mikuru added.

"I, uh…I guess I can let this sly. I'm just amazed you got her out of there so easily."

"Well, like I said, Mikuru reminds me of…someone I know."

"Again. You mean yourself, right?" Ritsu asked with another cheeky grin.

"**I-I'll hit you!**" Mio began to blush while holding up a fist.

"Well, since that's everyone now, can we start this party now?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm with Miharu-senpai. I'm starving for some food." Jun said.

"You mean the food that you stole wasn't enough?" Azusa asked her.

"**L-Lay off, smartass!**"

"Wait!" Yui yelled all of a sudden. "There's still one more person left to come!"

"Huh?" We were all confused.

"Yui…who are you talking about?" Nodoka asked.

"Um…hello? Is anyone here?" We heard a new voice.

"**Ooh! She's here! I'll go get her!**" Yui then ran out of the room and after a few light screams, she came back with a girl I didn't expect to see here.

"Um…h-hello, everyone."

"Himeko? What are you doing here?" Ritsu asked.

"Well…I kinda ran into Hirasawa-san the other day and she invited me to come. Although…I do think I'm intruding."

"Nonsense, Hime-chan! You're always welcomed!" Yui cheered.

"A-A-Always welcomed, huh? Th-Th-That's nice, Hirasawa-san." Himeko began to blush.

_Wait, why is she blushing?_

"Yui…you really need to stop with these last-minute additions." Mio said with a facepalm.

"_Hehhehheh…_Sorry, Mio-chan. I guess I forgot to tell you guys."

"_***sigh***_ Well, what do you think, Miharu? Can Himeko stay?"

"Of course, she can! Anyone who helps me get my Bloop Razzle Slurpee every day is definitely welcomed here!"

"You're letting her stay over a Slurpee?" Yoriko asked with a sweatdrop.

"Thank you, Miharu-san. I appreciate it a lot." Himeko said.

"Okay. **NOW** that's everyone." Yui said.

"And just what do you mean by "_**NOW**_"?"

…

…

…

"**Gah!** **Cette femme au cul effrayant qui est horrible dans son travail se présente à nouveau!**"

"Pfft! Baahahahaha! Oh my God, Miharu-senpai!" Azusa broke down laughing at what I said about Sawako.

"_Grr…_seriously, I feel like you're using the language barrier as an excuse to insult me." Sawako said.

"Je pourrais être…" I replied with a cheeky smile.

"You're here again, Sawako? What, do I have to trespass you from here or something?" Yoriko asked her former classmate.

"Geez, Yoriko. If you're going to be this sour every time, then I might as well come here every day to change your perspective of me. _Maybe a special costume would work, perhaps?_"

"Tch! Mikuru, where's that mop?! I'll bind this woman to a hospital bed!"

"W-Wait, you're not serious about that, right? Y-Yoriko! **Yoriko!**"

"_Come on, Sawa-chan. Let's have a special reunion, just you and me._" Yoriko sounded completely pissed. To the point where it was scary as all hell.

"**N-N-NO, THANK YOU!**" Sawako yelled in fear as she ran out of the room.

"**GET BACK HERE, DAMN YOU!**" While Yoriko gave chase right after her.

…

…

…

"W…Wowie…" Yui said after the rest of us were left in shock.

"T-Tamura-san must have a _**huge**_ disdain for Yamanaka-sensei, huh?" Nodoka asked.

"The two of them have a history that goes back to their high school days." I said. "And Yoriko hated every minute of it."

"I see…"

"_***sigh***_ There goes Mother's 4-year streak." Mikuru said.

"St-Streak?!" We all asked in shock.

_Note to self: Don't piss off Yoriko._

* * *

**Azusa's POV**

Tamura-san was able to calm down from what happened with Sawako-sensei (although, it was kinda fun to see her getting chased out of here by someone with a mop) and the party started soon after that.

We were probably an hour or two in. Talking with each other and, for a little bit, teaching Miharu-senpai some Japanese. I'm not sure what led to that. But we gave up when the word shiitake came up and she ended up saying…um…well…remove one of the I's and add a T and you'll understand.

_It truly surprises me how Miharu-senpai can comfortably swear so easily…mostly in a different language, but still…_

"Having fun, Miharu-senpai?" I asked as I was sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I guess. This month-late welcome party isn't too bad. Although, to be completely honest…I didn't really want a party to begin with."

"You didn't?"

"Not really. In fact…" Miharu-senpai went silent for a bit. "In fact, I actually wasn't planning to make any friends when I moved here. Let alone, finding my half-sister."

"You weren't?"

"Well, you see…I only told Mugi this, but the reason I moved to Japan is because my mother was from here."

"Really? That's interesting, Senpai. So, that explains why only your first name is Japanese."

"Yeah, I guess."

"But…if your mother is Japanese, then why are you living with Tamura-san and not her?"

"Well, it's because…my mom passed away a while ago."

"O-Oh." Now I felt bad for bringing it up. "I-I'm so sorry, Miharu-senpai."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine. I really do miss her, though."

"I'm sure you do."

"But…there's more to that."

"Huh?"

"Before my mom died, she told me that one day she would take me here one day. And show me how she used to live in her home country. Her childhood home, her school, the places she would go to…it was always a dream of hers to have me experience the Japanese lifestyle. And when she died, I convinced my dad to let me fulfill that dream. And so…here I am."

"Wow…" It was truly inspiring. The reason Miharu-senpai moved to Japan all the way from France was to fulfill her late mother's wish. She must've cared for her mother a lot for her to leave everything she knew and loved behind to come here. It's something you rarely see nowadays.

_I wish more people were like this girl…_

"Hey, Azusa."

"Y-Yes, Senpai?"

"Since I told you this, can you not tell the others? I wanna tell them on my own…but not right now."

"Um…sure, Senpai. Your secrets safe with me." I then went silent for a bit. "But, um…why **DID** you tell me?"

"Well…other than Mugi…I see you as my best friend, Azusa."

"B-Best friend?" I then started to blush a little. I'm not sure why…maybe because I'm embarrassed or something…but hearing that from Miharu-senpai of all people somehow…feels really good.

"Th-Th-Thank you…S-Senpai. Th-That's really nice of you to say."

"You okay, Azusa? You're kinda stuttering."

"H-Huh? ***clears throat*** O-Oh…I'm fine now. Had to cleat my mind a little."

"I see. Well, if you say so."

"Hey, Miharu." Tamura-san called out. "I've got someone on video chat who you want to see."

"Really? Who?"

"Take a look."

Tamura-san placed the computer on the table in front of us. And with everyone looking on, Miharu-senpai answered the call and what appeared on screen was a man with brown hair.

_Wait…isn't this…_

"Papa!"

"_Miharu, mon cher. Ça fait longtemps._"

(Miharu, dear. Long time no see.)

"Papa. Je m'amuse tellement ici. Le Japon est vraiment aussi grand que maman l'a dit."

(Dad. I'm having so much fun here. Japan really is as great as Mom said it was.)

"_***chuckle***_ _Eh bien, je suis content que tu t'amuses, chérie. Je suis sûr que ta maman serait heureuse d'entendre ça._"

(Well, I'm glad you're having fun, sweetie. I'm sure your mom would be happy to hear that.)

"_***sigh***_ J'espère qu'elle va bien là-haut. Elle me manque beaucoup."

(I hope she's okay up there. I miss her dearly.)

"_Nous le faisons tous, chérie._"

(We all do, sweetie.)

_It's sweet. Miharu-senpai talking with her dad after this long apart. I wish she can continue with this, but…_

"Uh…Miharu-senpai…" I tapped on her shoulder. Then pointed to the other behind us, who have no idea what they're saying.

"Oops. Sorry, guys. I forgot." Miharu-senpai rubbed the back of her head.

"Hey, Raphael." Tamura-san said. "We've got non-French speakers here. So, you're gonna have to ease up with it for now."

"_Oh, do we now? My apologies, everyone. I shall speak English from here on._"

"Woah…a pure French person." Yui-senpai said.

"Not to mention Miharu's dad." Ritsu-senpai added.

"_It looks like you made a lot of friends in the month you've been there, sweetie. Are you that popular or something?_"

"Um…well, no. They just never seen a French person before. They all wanted first dibs."

"**N-No, we didn't!**" Most of us yelled.

"_***chuckle***__ Still the jokester, I see. Who is everyone?_"

"Y-You wanna meet them? Well, uh…they all go to the same school as me. Though most are in my class. Uh…Yui Hirasawa, Ritsu Tainaka, Mio Akiyama…

…

…Nodoka Manabe, and Himeko Tachibana."

_Wait, she skipped Mugi-senpai._

"Nice to meet you, sir." The following that were named greeted the man on the screen.

"And then there are Azusa Nakano, Ui Hirasawa, and Jun Suzuki. They're a year younger than me."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Ui and Jun said.

"Ravie de vous rencontrer, monsieur."

"_Oh? A French speaker in Japan?_"

"Oh, yeah! Azusa here can speak French! So, I'm not really alone out here."

"_I see. Well, thank you for being there for my daughter…Nakano-san._"

"Vous êtes les bienvenus."

(You're welcome) I said with a small smile.

"And, uh…Dad. There's someone I really want you to meet." Miharu-senpai then went away from the screen to over where Mugi-senpai was.

_Wait, when did she get over there?_

We couldn't hear them, but it looked like Mugi-senpai was a bit hesitant to meet Miharu-senpai's dad. It's probably too soon in her eyes.

But in the end, it looked like Miharu-senpai managed to convince her somehow. And the two were heading back over to us.

_Wonder how this is going to play out…_

"Dad…this is Tsumugi Kotobuki. My half-sister."

"N-Nice to meet you…s-sir."

_Wow. She sounds so nervous…a total first for me since the day I met her…_

"_You're…Kotobuki's daughter, correct?_"

"Y-Yes. I-I am."

…

…

…

"_Well…I won't go into details right now. But it's really nice to finally meet you…Tsumugi._"

"O-Oh…same here, sir. And please, just call me Mugi."

"_Very well then…Mugi._"

***BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP***

"_Huh? Oh,_ _pour l'amour de la baise! _(For ****'s sake!)_ My computer battery's dying._"

"Sérieusement, Papa? N'as-tu pas dit que tu allais jeter cette merde à la poubelle?"

(Seriously, Dad? Didn't you say that you were going to throw that piece of **** away in the ******* trash?)

"_***sigh***__ Putain, je souhaite. Mais mon cul de lard d'un patron ne me laissera pas le jeter et en acheter un nouveau. Son cul bon marché est la raison pour laquelle mon travail continue à être retardé._"

(I ******* wish. But my lard-ass of a boss won't let me throw it away and buy a new one. His cheap-ass is the reason why my work keeps getting delayed.)

"_Ugh._ Ce gros bâtard bon marché! Comment ce cuntface est-il toujours le patron de cet endroit?"

(That cheap-ass fat *******! How is that ****face still the boss of that place?)

"_***sigh* **__Je ne sais pas putain, ma chérie._"

(I don't *******know, sweetie.)

"**G-Geez, you two!**" I yelled with a high amount of blush on my face. With me being the only one who knows what they say this whole time, it was ******* torture.

…

…

Great. Now, she's got me doing it.

"Hehhehhehheh…sorry, Azusa." Miharu-senpai said.

"_Well, I must end it here. I shall talk to you again soon, Miharu._"

"Bye, Dad. Seen you soon. Have fun at work."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Sir." The rest of us said.

It was then that the screen cut off. Leaving us with the home screen on the computer.

"Looks like his computer finally gave out." Tamura-san said.

"Seriously, he really needs to get a new one. If only his boss wasn't such a…"

"_Miharu-senpai…_" I said to her.

"Okay, I get it."

"Okay, seriously. One of you has got to start translating whenever French comes up. I was completely lost during that last part." Jun said.

"What were they saying, Azu-nyan?" Yui-senpai asked.

"U-Uh…w-well…"

…

…

…

"I-I wasn't listening."

"**Liar! You do know!**" Yui-senpai, Ritsu-senpai, and Jun yelled at me.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Stop making false assumptions of me."

"**What?!**"

"Everyone, it really isn't that important. Let's just enjoy the rest of the party, shall we? _***giggle***_"

"You're sure in a better mood, Mugi…" Ritsu-senpai said with a sweatdrop.

* * *

Soon, the party ended and everyone had gone home for the night. I was already home and had just gotten out of the shower. Now currently on my bed waiting to fall asleep.

I've been waiting for a while now. Like 45 minutes or so. Truth is…I've got too many thoughts going around my mind. Mainly of what Miharu-senpai said to me earlier.

"_Well, you see…I only told Mugi this, but the reason I moved to Japan is because my mother was from here._"

"…_it was always a dream of hers to have me experience the Japanese lifestyle. And when she died, I convinced my dad to let me fulfill that dream. And so…here I am._"

"_Since I told you this, can you not tell the others? I wanna tell them on my own…but not right now._"

Those were some of the multiple thoughts running through my mind. But honestly…none of those were the cause of my sleeplessness. It's actually one simple thought. A sentence that Miharu-senpai said to me with no hesitation whatsoever.

"_Well…other than Mugi…I see you as my best friend, Azusa._"

"_Her…best friend._"

"_I'm Miharu-chan's…best friend._"

…

…

…

_Why does that make me…unhappy?_

_**Author's Note:**_** The Welcome Party has come and gone. And as Mugi finally lets out her true emotions, Azusa suddenly questions her friendship with Miharu. Could there be something she's just not seeing? Who knows?**

**Well, I know. But I'm not gonna tell you. Not yet, at least.**

**Heads up. In the next chapter or the chapter after it, there's going to be a time skip. In fact, there's going to be a few of these throughout the story. I'll give out a small warning whenever one is coming up.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	13. Hidden Feelings

**Chapter 13 – Hidden Feelings**

"Oh, come on! I got 10th **AGAIN**!"

This was yelled out by Ritsu over the mic. She, myself, Jun, and Himeko were playing Mario Kart together online. And Ritsu was mad that first placed was robbed from her.

For the 4th time.

"Woah, Ritsu." I said. "Four in a row would've gotten you 12 points on a Grand Prix."

"Don't you think I know that, Miharu? I'm usually **WAY** better than this. But freaking Jun keeps picking Rainbow Road."

"_It's called a road, it's called a Rainbow Road. _

_It is a road that you go..._"

"**Oh, shut up, Jun!**"

"Anyway…you're actually doing really well, Himeko-senpai. I thought you said that you barely have time to play this game."

"Well, I do. With school, work, and softball practice taking up most of my time. But when I do find time to play, I'm always in it to win."

"Alright." Ritsu said. "Looks like I found the right people to form a group with. I could never get Mio on board with this. She says video games are a waste of time."

"Seriously? Is Mio always this…well…stuck up?" I asked.

"You have no idea, Miharu. I've known her since grade school and she hasn't changed a bit."

"I see…"

"It kinda makes those stories of you both on FanFiction look a lot more sense." Jun said.

"**They don't mean anything!**"

"Don't mean anything? Have you **SEEN** the thread? The majority of them are about you and Mio-senpai."

"It's true." I added. "And a lot of them have you two doing some _trucs romantiques très torrides._"

"Why do I feel like you just described us having sex in French?" Ritsu asked me.

"Because I did."

"Miharu…"

"Thank God I'm too much of a minor character to be in one of those stories." Himeko said.

"Miharu, it's about time." Mugi said to me as she entered our room.

"Really? Alright, then. Hey, Ritsu. We're gonna get changed now."

"Oh, right. I'm about to do the same."

"What are you guys about to do?" Jun asked.

"Miharu's saved enough money to get her own instrument and we're all gonna go down to the music store to help her pick one out."

"Really? You're now getting an instrument, Miharu-senpai?"

"Hey, it wasn't easy. I had to figure out what Yen was and convert my remaining CFP Franc into it…which wasn't much. I was lucky enough to save up enough for something before Christmas."

"Fair enough."

"What instrument do you plan on getting, Miharu-san?" Himeko asked.

"Hmm…not sure. Probably the reason why everyone's tagging along."

"That and you'll probably get lost because of your lack of Japanese knowledge." Mugi said from behind me.

"**N-No, I won't!**"

"Yes, you will." The other three girls replied.

"Tch. Wh-Whatever. I'm logging off now."

"Yeah, me too." Ritsu said. "See you guys later."

"Later." Jun said.

"Goodbye, for now." Himeko said.

I turned off the game and turned to Mugi who was already dressed. She wore a wooly pink sweater that doubled as a dress. With a white scarf around her neck, black tights underneath the dress, and brown boots on her feet.

_That outfit just __**SCREAMS**__ rich girl…_

"You really have no idea what instrument you're going to pick out?" Mugi asked.

"Not really. I mean, I have a few ideas. But I'm not sure which to go with. And I bet when we get there, the decision will be even harder."

"I see…" Mugi then went silent for a bit. "Hey, Miharu. Do you remember what you said the day we first met at school?"

"Huh? What I said? I said a lot of things that day, Mugi. Both in English and French."

"Right. Well…it was after school that day. When we kept perusing you to join the club. You said something that really piqued my interest."

"Really? What was that?"

"You said: "_Yes, I can play an instrument. But I have no interest in making music. At least…not anymore._"."

…

…

…

"O-Oh. I-I said that, huh?" Miharu asked in a depressed tone.

"Along with the reason being personal."

"I see…"

"Miharu. Is that reason…related to your mother?"

…

…

…

"My mother…she loved playing music. She was a musical genius back home. And I naturally followed in her footsteps. She was good with all genres, but Jazz music was her specialty. So, I picked up the saxophone and the two of us would always practice together every day. Just the two of us. It was the last good memory of my mom before…y-you know."

"I see." Mugi then crouched down next to me and embraced me into a hug. I returned said hug…with a small amount of tears leaving my eyes and dripping down my face.

"_***sniff***_ After she died…I vowed to myself that I would give up on music forever. Which is why I was so adamant to refuse to join the club back then. But…But with a lot of things recently, meeting you changed all of that. We sure are good at solving each other's problems without really doing anything, huh?"

"_***giggle***_ I guess that's true."

"Mugi…just…thank you. Thank you for always being there for me. And from the very start, too."

"I can easily say the same thing about you, Miharu."

The hug lasted for about another minute or so. It was only interrupted when Mugi's phone began to ring. And I had to wipe my tears onto something else.

_That sweater did wonders, though. It's so freaking soft._

"Hello? O-O-Oh. H-H-Hello, Mother. S-So I see that you have returned. Y-Yes, that did happen. Yes, I am with her. And I do plan on continuing to accept her as my half-sister. I do not care what he says. To do this after doing **THAT** years ago is…M-Mother…Mother, I…yes…yes…_***sigh***_ I know. Well, I'm coming over to grab some more stuff. I guess I could try to talk to him. Okay, Mother. Goodbye."

Mugi hung up the phone and released a very exasperated sigh as she pinched the top of her nose.

"What happened?" I asked.

"That was my mother. She had just returned from her business trip and is now aware of the fight my father and I are currently in. She's trying to be the peacemaker."

"I see. So, it's another talk with your dad, huh?"

"_***sigh***_ Unfortunately. My mother is hoping we can make up before the holidays. But knowing my father…"

"Mugi…"

"I know, Miharu. I know. I know I have to make up with him eventually. But…if I obey him, I'll never be able to see you again. And I really don't want that! You're the best thing that's ever happened in my 17 years of life, Miharu! Losing you and going back to my suppressed life as a stereotypical rich girl…_***sniff***__ I-I…I-I just can't do that, Miharu. More like…I __**DON'T**__ want that. I like the life I got now. Even though I'm estranged from my father and barely have any money…I'm just glad to be with you, Miharu. You're…really all I got now. Waaaa…_"

It was now me giving the hug to Mugi as she cried her eyes out all over my sleeveless tee. If there was ever a contest of who had the worst life before meeting each other, Mugi would win hands down. Just the fact that she's hidden it for that long is mind-blowing to me.

But…I can understand her pain.

"Mugi…it'll be alright. You know that if there's anything you need, anything at all…I'm here for you."

"_***sniff***__ Thank you, Miharu. I know I can always count on you._"

"You sure can. Now, uh…I should probably get dressed now. We're kinda running late, I think."

"_Huh…_O-Oh, right! Geez, I let myself get too emotional again. I really need to stop that."

"Oh, I don't know, Mugi. You're a lot cuter when you cry like that." I teased.

"**D-Don't make me hit you!**" Mugi yelled with a faint blush on her face.

"Alright, alright. I'm gonna go get dressed now. Should be done in a few minutes."

"Alright."

I went to the closet (that we now share) and picked out the clothes I was going to wear. Everything was out and ready. Except…

"Mugi…"

"Yes, Miharu?"

"You're wearing my favorite bra, aren't you?"

…

…

…

"I-I'll wash it later."

"**MUGI!**"

"I'm sorry, okay?! I'm going over to get more of my stuff. And yes, it includes my underwear."

"_***sigh***_ It better. I'm pretty sure this is something regular sisters don't even do."

"_Yui-chan and Ui-chan do it a lot…_"

"What?"

"N-Nothing! J-Just talking to myself. Hahahaha." Mugi said while rubbing that back of her head.

I didn't really know what she just said (or have the time to figure it out) so I decided to just let it go for now and get dressed. I'm about to get my first instrument since Mom died. And get back into music.

_I wish I could do that while wearing my favorite bra, though…_

* * *

**Mio's POV**

"_***sigh***_Where is everyone? We all said to be here at 11:00."

"Well, Yui-senpai and Ritsu-senpai are always late. Though, I'm not sure about Mugi-senpai and Miharu-senpai." Azusa said.

"Well…that hotel is near the outskirts of Shiga. I can understand if they're running late because of the amount of trains they have to take."

"True."

I ended up being the first one here at the mall. A common trend of mine that I just can't seem to stop. But on a bright side, Azusa showed up not too long after. So didn't have to stand alone for too long.

"I see that the Christmas decorations are already up." I said.

"Christmas is in a few days, right? Should we get together for it?"

"I mean, I guess. But I don't think Tamura-san would let us have another party there when we just had one two weeks ago."

"Yeah, true." Azusa then went silent for a bit. Releasing a small sigh as she slouched over a little. "H-Hey…Mio-senpai. Can I ask you something?"

"Huh? Ask **ME** something?" To be completely honest, I was shocked that she said that. Not many people come to me when it comes to advice. Which is a shame, too. Because I've got a lot of ways to help people. "Sure, Azusa. What's wrong?"

"Well…y-you see…have you ever been in a friendship with someone but you have this weird feeling that…you don't want that friendship?"

…

…

"Wh-What? Wh-Where's this coming from?" I asked after recovering from the shock. To hear Azusa ask such an emotional question like that…something's definitely upsetting her.

"W-Well…i-it's for a friend that I know. I-I'm just asking for her."

_***sigh***__ So, we're playing this game, huh?_

"Alright. What made your friend think of that?"

"Well, from what she told me…she was at this party the other day for a friend she met a while back. The two have…some similarities to each other. One of them is that they can speak a different language."

_She's clearly talking about her and Miharu…_

"A-Anyway…the two get along really well and at that party, the friend said to her that…she was her best friend. Thing is…this friend of mine is kinda now questioning it. As if "best friend" isn't something she wanted to hear from her. And now she doesn't know what to think. So, what should she do?"

_So…Miharu told Azusa that she was her best friend…but for some reason, Azusa is upset about that. That's what I'm picking up, but…of all people, why would Azusa be feeling this way? She isn't really the type of person to be emotional about stuff like this._

"Well…I can't really help you…r friend about that, Azusa. I've never really experienced such a thing."

"Huh? Never experienced? But don't you deal with it every day?"

"Every day?" I was confused.

"You know. With Ritsu-senpai."

"Ritsu? What are you talking about?"

"Well…I figured that since you two were such good friends most of your lives, you would…see her differently now. As in…not a "best friend"."

"A-And just what are you implying, Azusa?" I asked with a faint blush on my face.

"Well, I'm just saying. You two kinda look like a…"

"**D-Don't you DARE finish that sentence!**"

"But isn't it true, though?"

"**N-NO, IT ISN'T TRUE!**"

"Why, though? It could work, you know."

"**Wh-When did this become about me?! I thought this was your problem!**"

"N-No, it's my friend's problem!"

"**Oh, come on, Azusa! I wasn't born yesterday! I clearly know it's about you!**"

Azusa went silent as she sunk her head down to the ground. Upset at either her true feelings were revealed or that I never believed her "friend" story from the start.

"_***sigh***_ Alright, fine. It's true. It is about me. I've been feeling this way for a couple of days now. For some reason, I don't want to be Miharu-senpai's best friend. I-I mean, I still like her. Don't get me wrong. But…"

_Should I tell her? I mean, it's completely obvious what it is. But should I flat out tell her?_

…

…

…

"Azusa…" I gained the junior's attention. "If you truly want my advice, all I have to say is…just follow your heart."

"Follow my heart? Isn't that a bit cheesy?"

_**Ch-Cheesy?! H-How is it cheesy?!**_

"Just trust me, Azusa. You'll know it when you feel it. In your heart, I mean."

"In my heart? Just what are you talking about, Mio-senpai?"

"Well…"

"S-Sorry, we're late!"

We then saw Yui and Ritsu rushing over to us. The former with ** A LOT** of cookie containers in her hands.

_I'm going to regret asking, am I?_

"Yui…what's with all that stuff?"

"Can you believe it, Mio-chan? I won the Cookie Lottery!"

"The what?" Azusa and I asked.

"It's a special event held every year here." Ritsu explained. "Yui and I entered last week and the drawing was today. So we made a quick stop before coming here."

"_***giggle***_ I've got enough cookies to last me all of winter break."

"Not if Ui gets her hands on them, Yui-senpai…" Azusa said with a sweatdrop.

"So…Mugi and Miharu aren't here yet?" Ritsu asked.

"Well, they live pretty far, Ritsu. They probably have to take a train or two in order to get here."

"Yeah, true. Plus, there was the fact that Miharu and I were playing Mario Kart before we left."

"So, you were playing video games instead of studying for the exams?" I asked Ritsu with a stern look. Which made her panic a little.

"Tch! W-Well, not really. I-I was uh…m-m-multi-tasking! Yeah, that's it! I was multi-tasking."

"Wow…that's impressive, Ricchan." Yui said.

"_***chuckle***_ Thanks, Yui."

_The only thing this girl multi-tasks on is eating and horse-playing._

"We're here!"

"Sorry, we're late."

Heading towards us were Mugi and Miharu. As I predicted, they were the last to show up. But their outfits were something to look at. While Mugi's was something you would expect a rich girl to wear (don't tell her I said that), Miharu's was as common as you can get. Pink scarf, white-ish sweater, black pants. The only thing that the two had in common were the black boots. Mugi probably bought them for her.

"Hey, there you guys are." Ritsu said. "Don't worry. We weren't waiting long."

"Yeah, we all ***chew* *chew* **just got here." Yui added while eating some of the cookies she had.

"Wait…those cookies, Yui-chan." Mugi said. "Are they from…"

"Yep! I won the Cookie Lottery!"

"Aw, phooey! And I was hoping to win this year, too!"

_Mugi, you're rich. You can just __**BUY**__ a cookie store._

"Anyway…shall we go?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Miharu's been excited to pick out her first instrument. Right, Miha…ru?" Mugi then looked next to her and realized that Miharu was no longer next to her.

"Where did Miharu-senpai go?" Azusa asked.

"_Sensationnel...merde sacrée…_"

And then once we heard that voice, we knew what it was. And so, we turned to where Miharu was and her mind was currently blown right now.

"So, _**this **_is a Japanese mall…_**C'est tellement énorme! **_So many stores and crap…a stereotypical teen girl could **DEFINITELY ** live here!"

_Stereotypical teen girl? I'm not even going to ask…_

"Oh, yeah…this is Miharu's first time here." Mugi said with a sweatdrop.

"We'll have to keep a good eye on her or else she'll totally break something." Ritsu said. Also with a sweatdrop.

"Right…" The rest of us agreed. Finishing up the remaining number of sweatdrops that was needed for this moment.

* * *

We eventually got Miharu to calm down once we walked around the mall for a bit. Showing her all the stores and stuff that you can go to.

_Although, that alone took a long time. Geez…Yui really knows how to distract others from what they need to do._

Now, we had finally arrived at the music store and it was more so Yui that was excited and not Miharu. Kinda odd since we're here for her and not Yui.

"Wow…being back here brings back so many memories."

"Of what?" I asked Yui. "We were only here for a few minutes."

"Yeah, but…how we all got part-time jobs to afford the guitar that I wanted. And then Mugi got the worker to lower the price because her dad owns the place. _***sigh***_ Good times. I'm so grateful for you guys helping me getting Gitah."

"Wait, so what was the point of getting part-time jobs?" Azusa asked.

"Friendship, Azu-nyan." Yui then hugged Azusa as tightly as she could.

"Th-That makes no sense, Yui-senpai! A-And get off of me!"

"_***moan***__ Your face is so warm, Azu-nyan. Just like a kitty._"

"**S-Senpai!**"

"So, uh…is this normal?" Miharu asked us."

"Pretty much." Ritsu said.

"I see…"

"Um…h-hey, everyone. I'll just, um…w-wait outside. I-I don't…feel right here." Mugi said with a sad tone.

"Right." I said. "This is your dad's…"

"Yeah…that."

"_***sigh***_ Mugi…I'm only going to say this once." Ritsu said as she grabbed hold of Mugi by her shoulders. "You shouldn't let your father's words and actions get to you so much. If that douchey bastard wants to push you out of his life just because of a mistake he made years ago…"

"Mistake?" Miharu got offended.

"Y-You know what I mean. A-Anyway…if he wants to do that and expects you to follow him, then that's his problem. You said it yourself. You want to be your own person and not your father's puppet."

"I never said that."

"Well, it was close."

"Stop throwing your own words into Mugi's mouth." I said.

"Fine, fine. The point is, you shouldn't be the one to just give up and run back to him. It'll be the other way around and we'll help you make it that way. Right, everyone?"

"Yep." I said.

"Sure thing." Miharu said.

"I'll help you, Mugi-senpai." Azusa said.

"**Most definitely!**" Yui cheered.

"W-Wow…o-okay. Th-Thank you everyone. I'll count on you all." Mugi said as she grew a small smile."

"Haha. There's the Mugi we know." Ritsu said.

"Yes…thank you. But…Ricchan…"

"Yeah, Mugi?"

Mugi didn't reply right away and just placed her hand on Ritsu's should while still smiling a little.

Though it wasn't a friendly one.

"I appreciate you caring about me…but call my father a "douchey bastard" again and I'll rip that damn tongue of yours out of your mouth. Got it?"

"_H-Holy crap. M-Mugi-chan's scary when she's angry._" Yui said as she and the rest of us felt chills in our spines.

"_Y-Y-Yeah. O-O-Of course, Mugi. I-I-I'll never say that again. Pr-Promise._" Ritsu said. Currently scared out of her mind.

"_***giggle***_ Good. I think I'm well enough to join you girls again. Let's go pick out an instrument for Miharu, shall we?"

Mugi then walked past us while still having that smile on her face. While it took us a few minutes to completely calm down from that side of Mugi that we've never seen before.

_E-Even after all of this, she's still Daddy's little girl…_

_**Author's Note:**_** This was originally planned to be longer. But I'm kinda running on a tight schedule right as I want to update two more stories before Christmas. So, I had to stop it right here.**

**This might be the last chapter for the year. I'm not positive, but it's looking to be that way. So, in advance, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Later.**


	14. The Instrument

**Chapter 14 – The Instrument**

After calming down from the rare sighting of a pissed-off Mugi, We went around the store looking at the different instruments in stock. There were so many, despite most of them being guitars. I'm not really sure which one to get.

"Aw, geez. Where to start?"

"What instrument did you had a mind?" Azusa asked me.

"Well…I kinda had a couple, to be honest. First, I thought maybe I could get back on the saxophone. But thinking it over, it wouldn't fit with the type of music you guys play."

"Yeah, that's true." Mio said.

"Why not a guitar?" Ritsu suggested. "Nothing wrong with that."

"But we already have three guitar players. A fourth one would be too redundant."

"Oh, yeah."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a guitar, but how about something easy to carry?" Mugi suggested.

"Oh, right. Since we often play at different events and stuff."

"But what's as easy to carry as a guitar?" Yui asked.

"Well…" I thought to myself. "…Based on my choices, the only one left is…" I then looked down the multiple lines of guitars and saw the exact same instrument that I was thinking about. "No way! They actually have one! A keytar!"

…

…

…

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Key…tar?"

"What? You guys seriously don't know what a keytar is?" I asked Yui, Ritsu, and Mugi.

"Is it really an instrument?" Ritsu asked.

"Yes, it's really an instrument."

"A keytar is a lightweight synthesizer strapped around the neck and shoulders like a guitar." Azusa explained. "It has a musical keyboard for triggering musical notes and sounds. And there are small button controls placed on the neck to change pitch bends and stuff while playing."

"Wowie, Azu-nyan. You sure know about it well." Yui said to her.

"I've seen videos of it online. It's a pretty cool instrument."

"Really?" Ritsu asked. "Cause it looks like a portable piano."

"Oh, please." I said. "It's more than just a portable piano. Here, I'll show ya." I then grabbed the keytar off of the rack and placed it around my neck. Then after turning it on, I messed with the controls for a bit until I got the sound I wanted. And then finally played a few notes.

"W-Woah!"

"It sounds so…synthesized. Like something from the '80s." Mugi said.

While continuing on, I messed with the controls again to get a new sound. One these girls would probably not expect to hear from this thing.

"**W-Wait, what?! I-It sounds like a guitar now!**" Mio yelled in shock.

"**Wow! So cool!**" Yui added.

"With the keytar, you can change between a synthesized keyboard, a regular guitar, or other such instruments like a trumpet, violin, or double bass. All with a simple button press."

"Wow, Miharu. That's pretty cool." Mugi said.

"Right? I wasn't sure if I wanted to get this, but I'm sure I can make it work somehow. **Yo, sir! I want this one!**"

"M-Miharu…you don't have to yell." Mugi gained a sweatdrop.

"Yo?" The others were confused.

* * *

With the others wanting to hear more from the keytar, we went back to the hotel for a more private setting. I honestly forgot just how lightweight these things actually are. Because I almost dropped it a few types while twirling it around.

And Mio scolded me for it.

_Ritsu was right. She kinda is stuck up._

"So, what song are you going to play on your keytar, Miharu-chan?" Yui asked.

"A-A song? Y-You wanna hear a song?"

"Yui, don't push her. She just got that thing an hour ago." Mio said.

"_***whine***__ Mio-chan…_"

"Actually…I do know a song."

"Huh?!" Mio and Azusa yelled.

"You do?!" Yui and Ritsu yelled.

"_***giggle***_ I wouldn't expect less from my half-sister." Mugi said.

"Well, you gotta play it now! Come on, make with the 80's sounds!"

"Ritsu!" Mio yelled at her.

"Alright, alright. Just let me set this thing up." I said before messing with the control buttons. Once I had it set, I placed the instrument around my neck and held it in my hands. "Oh, and just so you know, this song has lyrics."

"A song **WITH** lyrics?! Geez, Miharu! You're leveling up really fast here!" Ritsu said.

"_Hehhehheh…_" I rubbed the back of my head from the praise I was getting. "H-Here we go!"

* * *

_(Quick Note: To follow along with the song, search up the following on YouTube: __**Zero-Two (Kirby 64) GaMetal ft. Edobean**__ **(2020 ver.)**_

* * *

_We were once living quietly_

_But our future has changed for the worst_

_As the sky darkens..._

_Becoming blacker than shadows_

_What could be the cause of all this?_

_Twisting their minds _

_Twisting their souls_

_Now everyone is corrupted_

_Their behavior now destructive_

_I must search for those crystal shards_

_Even if the task may be hard_

_I'll make sure that you will all see_

_As I set our universe free_

_With the crystals powers that _

_were once completely scattered_

_It will be the very key to __destroying each and every Dark Matter_

_Destiny calls for you_

_To fly on forward, Star Warrior_

_Find the inner strength within you_

_Bring it in from all the torture_

_Let the stars guide you through _

_To stop this never-ending war_

_Or there might be a chance our u__niverse will be _

_No More..._

_Please Go..._

_Restore..._

_Our World..._

_Angels of Darkness take flight_

_And I'm the only one left to fight_

_Our worlds are falling..._

_As they're engulfed in the shadows_

_Their cries are fading from darkness_

_Drowning in it _

_Consumed by it_

_There is no more time to be scared_

_The pain ends now, I am prepared_

_I'll go forward with all our strength_

_I'll make you see your end of days_

_I'll make sure our hopes aren't shattered_

_Pierce the evils you have gathered_

_Even if I'm devoured _

_In __this darkness that you've become_

_Just as long as there's an inch __of light in me _

_I __will __overcome_

_Do not fear now_

_The time is now_

_To destroy the evil _

_This is the only chance you have_

_Everything is up to you now_

_Use the power inside you_

_And bring peace once and for all_

_Or our future will be no more_

_Go now and fight star warrior!_

_So stop this war_

_Protect our world!_

* * *

I stood there for a bit looking at the shocked faces of my friends and clubmates. I guess they weren't expecting a song like that. Basing on the song they played for me that one time.

"W-Wow. M-Miharu…" Mugi said.

"Th-That's a…r-really interesting song, Senpai." Azusa said.

"Y-Yeah…" Ritsu added. "B-But…k-kinda dark, don't you think?"

"Dark? How does a song themed for a fallen angel with an extremely bloody eye corrupting people's minds and engulfing all words into darkness sound dark to you guys?"

"Seriously?" Ritsu gained a sweatdrop.

"_I-Is it over?_"

We all looked over to see both Mio and Yui cowering in fear. Hugging each other and shielding their ears from the song.

"Yes, guys. It's over."

"_Hehhehheh_. Sorry, guys. I didn't think you would get scared over it." I said.

"_Sc-Sc-Scared? W-W-Who's scared? I-I-I'm not scared._" Mio said.

"_Y-Y-Yeah. M-M-M, neither. Th-Th-That song wasn't scary at all._" Yui added.

"Right…" The rest of us said.

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Come in." I said.

"M-Miharu-san. K-Kotobuki-san. Dinner is ready." Mikuru said once she had opened the door.

"Oh, really? Is it that late already? Geez, I lost track of time."

"So did I." Mugi said. "I was supposed to go home and get more of my stuff. But I guess I'll have to do it tomorrow after school."

_So, she's going to be wearing my underwear again. Damnit…_

"We should get going, too." Ritsu said.

"Oh, I almost forgot. What do you want for Christmas, Miku-chan?" Yui asked.

"H-Huh? Y-You're getting me a gift?"

"Of, course. You're our friend, too. And friends give each other gifts, right?"

"W-Wow. Th-Thank you, Hirasawa-san." Mikuru then thought for a bit. "But…it really isn't necessary."

"Huh? Not necessary?"

"I am busy studying for the high school entrance exam so presents aren't really on my mind at the moment. Especially for that…_complicated _day."

"Complicated?" The four girls asked.

"Oh, yeah. That day." I said.

"What's "that day"? Why is Christmas complicated, Mikuru-san?" Azusa asked.

"W-Well…"

"Mikuru-chan was actually born on Christmas." Mugi said.

"Woah, no way! Christmas is your birthday, Mikuru?" Ritsu asked.

"Y-Yes, it is. I will be turning 15 this year. Kinda young for a soon-to-be high school student, correct?"

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Miku-chan." Yui said as she suddenly stood up and soon walked over to Mikuru. Even grabbing hold of her tiny shoulders.

"Uhh…H-Hirasawa-san?"

"Miku-chan…**we definitely have to do something for your birthday!**"

"Huh?" The rest of us asked.

"H-Hirasawa-san…I-I appreciate the thought. B-But I am going to be busy studying and…"

"**No way! You can't study on your birthday! It's against the rules!**"

"R-Rules?" Mikuru was confused.

"There's no rule for that." Mio said.

"_Well, there should be…_"

***POW***

"**Ow!**"

"I heard that!" Mio yelled after hitting Ritsu in the head.

"And besides." Yui continued. "Your birthday and Christmas on the same day…very few people are that lucky. You should celebrate them both, Miku-chan. With family and friends, too."

"She has a point, Mikuru-chan." Mugi said.

"Yeah, you've been studying all week." I added. "I'm sure you're prepared for that…test thing. Take a short break with everyone. You deserve it."

"Well…I guess I can do such a thing. After all, it is Christmas. W-Well, part of it."

"That's the spirit, Miku-chan!" Yui cheered. "And don't worry. I've got it all covered."

"Huh?" We all asked again.

"W-Wait, you mean _**you're**_ going to plan the party, Yui?" I asked.

"Sure! I'll even have it at my house! It'll be fine!"

"To you, yeah." Azusa said. "But what about Ui?"

…

…

…

"O-Oh, yeah." Yui started rubbing the back of her head. "I-I should probably ask her first…"

_You think?_ We all gained a sweatdrop.

"Hey, there you girls are. What's the hold-up?" Yoriko asked as she came to the door.

"Good news, Mother." Mikuru said. "Hirasawa-san said that she's going to throw a party for my birthday."

"Huh? Really? But I thought you were skipping it for your studies."

"She was. But Yui managed to convince her otherwise." I said.

"I see. Well…thank you for this, Hirasawa-san. To be honest, I had nothing planned in case Mikuru changed her mind. You saved the birthday part of that day."

"You're welcome, Tamura-san. Anything for my friends."

"Anyway, we should really be going now." Mio said. "We've got exams this week."

"Oh, yeah. It is that time of the year." Yoriko said.

"Man, you're lucky, Miharu." Ritsu said to me. "You get to miss out on exams because you can't read Japanese."

"It really is Foreigner Privilege." Yui added.

"Foreigner Privilege?" I asked.

"Just ignore them. They just hate to study." Azusa said.

"I see."

And with that, everyone else went home. Leaving us four to reflect on what happened before they left.

"Well, that was nice of Hirasawa-san. Throwing a birthday party for Mikuru."

"Yes. It really was." Mikuru said. "Hirasawa-san is a nice person."

"Yeah…but I'm not sure her family's going to take the whole "throwing a birthday party for a complete stranger on Christmas Day" idea." I said.

"Oh, yeah. Probably should've asked her for her parent's contact info." Yoriko gained a sweatdrop.

"Don't worry, Tamura-san." Mugi said. "Yui-chan's family is special. They'll allow it. Even Ui-chan."

"I see."

"Yep. They're special, alright. Her family…" Mugi slowly started to sound sad as she said that. And to the rest of us, it was pretty obvious why.

"Mugi…"

"Kotobuki-san…" Mikuru said.

"Mugi. Are you…" I asked.

…

…

…

"_***giggle***_ I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." Mugi said as she turned to us with a smile on her face.

But knowing her these past 4 months, I knew one thing about her that the other two won't see at first glance.

_That smile is fake as hell._

_**Author's Note:**_** Miharu gets her own instrument: the Keytar! And it seems to have impressed the other girls as well. A cool instrument indeed.**

**I hoped you looked up the song before reading the lyrics. Normally, I would list the song name in the notes. But since this one was fanmade, I listed it earlier than normal. Mainly because this song normally doesn't have lyrics.**

**Next chapter is Mikuru's birthday (and also Christmas)! I wanted to get to here before 2019 ended, but…stuff happened. So it'll come later this week. Along with a new POV.**

**A bit of self-promo here. If you're liking this story so far, then take a look at Yuru Yuri +1. This story is heavily inspired off of that one and it's being continued right now with new chapters. It's my favorite Yuru Yuri story that I've written.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	15. Cupid on Christmas

**Chapter 15 – Cupid on Christmas **

**Ui's POV**

_Wow…so it's Christmas once again. A time to spend time with your family as you open gifts, sing songs, and eat Christmas dinner together. Too bad Mom and Dad are out traveling again. But at least I got Onee-chan with me._

…

_Speaking of which, I should go wake her up now. Don't want her to sleep through…_

"**MERRY CHRISTMAS, UI!**"

"_***shriek***_** O-Onee-chan, you scared me!**" I yelled after Onee-chan had snuck up to me and wrapped herself around my body while shouting in my ear.

"Oops. Sorry, Ui. I'm just so happy that it's Christmas!"

"_***giggle***_ I can tell. You're even up this early without me having to wake you up."

"_***moan***_ I don't need my little sister to wake me up every day." Onee-chan pouted.

"So then, you'll actually use the alarm clock that I got you last year?"

…

…

…

"_Ui…_" She then whined as she cuddled up to me. A normal thing she does.

"_***sigh***_ Alright. I don't really mind, anyway."

"Yay!"

_Guess I better go return that alarm clock later…_

"Oh! Ui! You remember what we're doing, right?"

"Yes, Onee-chan. I remember. Though, I am still a little upset that you told me this at the last minute."

"_Hehhehheh. Sorry, Ui…_" Onee-chan said while rubbing the back of her head.

What happened two days ago was Onee-chan came home and told me that we were hosting a party for Christmas. Turns out that it wasn't just Christmas today, but it's also Mikuru-chan's birthday. And she was originally going to skip that part of the day when Onee-chan convinced her otherwise.

At first, I wasn't on board with it. Mainly because it was two days before both of those days and there wouldn't be much food to get due to people buying a lot of it for Christmas dinners.

But then Onee-chan grew a sad look on her face and I played hook, line, and sinker into it.

_It's really hard to say no to a face like that…_

And so, we're not only hosting a Christmas party, but also a birthday party. I was lucky enough to get enough food this last minute or else I would've been **SUPER **angry right now.

"Anyway, I'm going to start cooking now. Your friends should be here later this afternoon, right?"

…

…

…

"Uh…Ui…" Onee-chan said shyly.

"Onee-chan…how many did you invite?"

"U-Um, well…"

…

"…E-Everyone."

"E-Everyone?!" I nearly had a heart attack.

"W-Well, Miku-chan was going to skip her birthday! I-I wanted to make this one special!"

"Onee-chan." I gained a sweatdrop. "You're making it sound like this is Mikuru-chan's last birthday."

"**Ui! Don't say such a thing! You might jinx it!**"

"R-Right. Sorry." I said. "But even then…"

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Huh? Someone's here already?"

"I'll get it." Onee-chan said as she rushed to the front door. Once opened, we saw Azusa-chan with two bags in her hands.

"Merry Christmas, you guys."

"Azu-nyan!" Onee-chan cheered as she grabbed onto Azusa-chan and began cuddling her as always. "Merry Christmas, my sweet little kōhai!"

"Gah! Y-Yui-senpai! Kn-Knock it off! I'll lose my balance with these bags!"

"_***giggle***_ Sorry, sorry."

"Merry Christmas, Azusa-chan." I said. "But why are you here this early?"

"My mom's out of town. I had nothing else to do so I came here. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, not really. I was just about to start cooking."

"I see."

"What's in the bags, Azu-nyan?" Onee-chan asked.

"Presents, of course. I brought one for the gift exchange thing later on. But I got one especially for Mikuru-san. I hope she likes it."

"Oh, yeah! I got Miku-chan a gift, too! I really hope she likes it."

"What did you get her, Ui?"

…

…

…

"Uh…Ui?"

"I…I-I forgot."

"Huh?"

"I-I forgot…t-to get Mikuru-chan a birthday present."

…

…

…

"**WHAT?!**" Both girls yelled in shock.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I was just so busy and this whole thing was last minute…getting her a gift must've slipped my mind!"

"Ui…"Azusa-chan said.

"Don't worry, Ui. You can just write your name onto my present. It's fine with me." Onee-chan said.

"Thank you, Onee-chan." I said with a smile. But then a thought came to my mind. "Wait, hold on…what **DID** you get her, Onee-chan?"

"_***giggle***_ _You'll just have to wait until Miku-chan opens it, Ui._" Onee-chan teased.

"O-Oh, boy…" I said as both Azusa-chan and I grew a worrisome sweatdrop.

_M-Maybe it isn't too late to go out and find one last minute…_

* * *

I soon started the massive cooking preparations for the basically two parties that we're hosting for all of our friends. Because of this grand scale, Azusa-chan offered to help out. So, the two of us were in the kitchen preparing everything. And we were currently on the cake.

"Um…what kind of flavor does Mikuru-chan like?" I asked Azusa-chan.

"Well…Tamura-san said that she isn't that much of a sweets person. So, probably just plain vanilla it."

"I see…"

With everything else either ready to go or still cooking, we decided to take a short break by eating something. For me, it was the first thing I've eating all morning.

"_***sigh***_ So yummy. Nothing like a good Christmas breakfast to raise your spirits up, right?"

"H-Huh? O-Oh, yeah. Thank you for the food." Azusa-chan said. She looked like she was spacing out or something.

_Maybe she's not in the mood?_

"You okay, Azusa-chan? You seem a little down."

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm fine, really."

_She's lying._

"Okay, then. Just know that I'm here if you need to talk." I said.

…

…

…

"Um…a-actually, Ui…"

_I knew it._

"So, something is bothering you. But on Christmas? Are you upset that your mom isn't here?"

"N-No, it's not that. It's, um…something else."

"Something else?"

"W-Well, you see…" Azusa-chan began to blush. "I-I've actually…f-fallen in love with someone recently. A-And it's a girl."

"A-A girl? A-Azusa-chan, are you…"

"A-After thinking it over…y-yeah, I am."

"W-Woah…" I was completely shocked from hearing this. Azusa-chan is…is…a-a lesbian?! I never would've thought that she would become one.

…

Though, I've had my thoughts on Jun-chan. Don't tell her I said that.

"Y-You don't hate me, do you?"

"Wh-What? Azusa-chan, that's ridiculous. I could never hate you because you like girls now. That's unfair to you."

"Really? You mean that?"

"Of course." I said with a smile.

"_***sigh***_ Thanks, Ui. That actually makes me feel better. Because now I can tell you that…"

_W-W-Wait a second! D-Does she plan to confess to __**ME**__?! Oh, nonononono! I don't swing that way! I'll end up breaking Azusa-chan's heart! And on Christmas, of all days!_

…

_St-Stall! That's it! I-I gotta stall! Stall it for as long as I can!_

"U-Um…Azusa-chan. Why don't you tell me about the girl you've fallen in love with?"

"Huh?" Azusa-chan looked confused at first. "Um…okay, then. Well…she's nice, sweet, and caring. Although, a bit out there sometimes."

"Uh-huh…"

"She's a really good friend. And I often enjoy being around her a lot. Much more than the others."

"Okay…"

"A-And, well…she's my…best friend." Azusa-chan began to blush once more as she turned away from me.

Which made me think one thing.

_**Oh, my God! It's me! It's definitely me! Azusa-chan is IN LOVE with me!**_

_O-Okay! C-Calm down, Ui. You just gotta…decline her. Slowly and calmly…decline her feelings for you. And then…hope for the best._

"I-I see." I said. "A-Azusa-chan…I-I'm sorry."

"You're…sorry?"

"I-I'm sorry. I cannot return your feelings, Azusa-chan."

"Uh…" Azusa-chan looked at me with the biggest and grandest confused look I've ever seen someone make.

_D-Did I…guess wrong?_

"Ui…what are you talking about?" Azusa-chan asked.

"W-Well…a-aren't you…in love with me?"

"U-Ui…it's not you."

…

…

…

"I-It's not?" Now I was the one with the confused look.

"No. It's not."

"O-Oh. I-I see."

"Why did you think it was you?"

"L-Look, can we not make this about me, please? If it's not me, then who is it?" I was so embarrassed that I actually grew a blush of my own at this point.

But it wasn't as grand as Azusa-chan's. Because after turning away from me once more with an added sigh, she confessed to me who it truly was.

"It's…It's Miharu-senpai."

…

…

…

"**WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!**"

And I was blown out of my mind.

"Shh! Ui, keep it down! You're gonna…"

"**Ui! Are you okay?! What happened?!**" Just then, Onee-chan rushed into the kitchen to see what was happening…

…wearing a…Santa dress, of some kind.

_Not gonna question that right now…_

"Um…everything's fine, Onee-chan. Just, um…excited about today being Christmas, that's all." I lied.

"Huh…okay, then. Just don't scream like that. You really scared me."

"Right. Sorry, Onee-chan."

While Onee-chan was going back to her room (doing who knows what), I was able to calm down from what Azusa-chan had just told me. And it took longer than usual.

"S-So, Azusa-chan…you're in love with Miharu-senpai. How did that happen?" I asked.

"I'm…I'm not sure. At first, I didn't feel anything towards her besides a friend. Meeting up with her after school, kinda-sorta practicing with her, and then mainly speaking French with her. I like how it helps her not miss her home completely, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand. You're a really good friend for doing that, Azusa-chan."

"Y-Yeah. W-Well…"

"What?" I was confused.

"That…"friend" part. That's what started bugging me recently."

"Oh…"

_I think I'm starting to understand._

"It started back at the welcome party. Miharu-senpai and I were talking and, well…some things were said. Things that can't tell right now, but…"

"I understand. What happened after that?"

"W-Well…" Azusa-chan began to blush again. "…A-After all of that, Miharu-chan told me…that I was her best friend."

"And that's bad?"

"D-Don't get me wrong! I don't think it's bad or anything! But once I got home and thought about it, hearing it made me feel…sad. For some reason."

"I see."

"So then I…kinda-sorta…asked Mio-senpai about what it means…"

_Kinda-sorta?_

"…All she said was "follow your heart". Which, to be honest, I thought was _**really**_ cheesy. But then I gave that some thought and…and it made sense to me. And that's how I realized it. That I'm in love with Miharu-senpai."

"Wow. That's some story, Azusa-chan."

"Yeah. A-And, so…today I'll need your help, Ui."

"Huh? My help?" I was confused.

"I need your help because…I want to confess to Miharu-senpai…today."

…

…

…

"Wha…**WHA…**" And before I could shout out in shock again, Azusa-chan covered my mouth with her hand and kept me quiet.

"Man, you do not take surprises well." She then said with a sweatdrop.

"Y-Y-You want to confess?! Today?! O-On Christmas?! Wh-Wh-Why?!"

"I don't want to bottle these feelings for such a long time. This story isn't going to be that long enough for that and I'm pretty sure the readers are sick and tired of such an overdone cliché."

"A-Azusa-chan…" I said with a huge sweatdrop. "…Please stop breaking the 4th wall. This isn't Yuru Yuri."

"Well, they get to do it all the time. How come we can't?"

"There's a very valid reason as to why we don't break the 4th wall."

_Because our lives are not as crazy as theirs…_

"Hmph. Then maybe I should head over there."

"You're missing the point…" I said with an even bigger sweatdrop.

"Anyway. I want Miharu-senpai to know how I feel. How I truly feel. A-And, uh…I-I've never really…confessed to anyone before."

"And you think I have?"

"_Well, according to FanFiction…_"

"I'm about to tape that mouth shut." I started getting angry.

"Alright, I'll stop. _For now._"

"I heard that." I retorted.

_When did she become so bold?_

***BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP***

"Oh. The cake's done."

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"And just in time, too." Azusa-chan added.

"I sure hope Mikuru-chan likes her birthday cake."

"S-So, you'll help me right, Ui?"

"You were serious?" I asked in an exasperated tone.

"Come on, please! I'm scared that I'll mess it up! And with Jun here, she'll never let me hear the end of it!"

_That is true…_

"_***sigh***_ Okay, Azusa-chan. I'll…think of something."

"Yes! Thanks, Ui! You truly are my best friend!" Azusa-chan then went silent for a bit. Then she grew a smirk on her face. "_Just don't fall in love with me, okay?_"

"**I-I-I won't!**" I yelled with a blush on my face.

"_***giggle***_ I'm kidding."

"Geez. How can you joke about your own problem?"

"Ui! Azu-nyan! Come on out! We're about to do the gift exchange!"

"Coming, Onee-chan!" I responded. "So, shall we go?"

"Yeah, I guess. I'm hoping Mikuru-san likes my gift. Base on her personality, I think it suits her."

"I see…" Hearing that made me remember that I'm sharing my gift with Onee-chan. And a simple thought came to mind.

_I'm going to regret sharing that gift, am I?_

* * *

Soon after everyone showed up, we exchanged both Christmas gifts and birthday gifts for Mikuru. Of course, with it also being her birthday, she got the most. Most of them were nice.

But a select few…

"A-Are you sure you do not want your alarm clock back, Hirasawa-san?"

"No, Mikuru-chan. It's fine. After all, _**Onee-chan**_ doesn't want it."

"_Ui, please! I said I was sorry!_"

"If you were sorry, then you would've never done it."

Yeah…turns out Yui's "gift" to Mikuru was an alarm clock. Thing is, it's the same alarm clock that Ui had gotten her last Christmas and she never used it.

Ui is currently pissed right now.

"A-Anyway…" Nodoka took over the current conversation. "…Are you enjoying the party, Mikuru-san?"

"O-Oh, yes. Very much. Thank you all for celebrating my birthday with me. E-Even though it is on Christmas."

"Don't worry about it." Jun said. "Christmas is a rather slow day, anyway."

"We've spent the morning with our families. Now we're here for you." Ritsu added. "After all, we are friends."

"O-Oh, my. Th-That's rather sweet of you all."

"At this rate, you won't have to worry about being alone when school starts, Mikuru." Yoriko said.

"Oh, that reminds me, Miku-chan. What school are you going to?" Yui asked.

"Oh, yeah. You two never told us when the results came." I said.

"Well, we wanted to keep it a surprise for a little longer, but… you wanna tell them, Mikuru?"

"Well…okay. St-Starting in March, I will…u-um…w-well…"

"_Ooh! The suspense is killing me! How long is the wait going to last, Miku-chan?!_" Yui asked.

"You would know if you had an alarm clock…"

"Ui. Let it go." Azusa and Jun said to her.

"I-I will…b-be going to…S…Sa…S-Sakuragaoka! _***shriek***_" Mikuru then hid her with her arms due to her shyness.

"Mikuru…" Yoriko gained a sweatdrop.

"Woah! You coming to Sakuragaoka?! That's awesome!" Ritsu cheered.

"Yeah, totally!" Yui added. "Hey, Ricchan. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Sure am, Yui."

"_Maybe Mikuru can…_"

***BONK***

"No!" Mio yelled after hitting both girls in the head.

"You two don't give up, do you?" I asked while exactly knowing what they were about to say.

_Mikuru would definitely __**NOT**__ fit in this weird-ass club._

"Congratulations, Mikuru-chan. I'm sure you're really excited." Mugi said.

"Th-Thank you, Kotobuki-san. I-I actually am excited. I am going to the same school as Mother did."

"Have you thought of any clubs yet?" Jun asked.

"Hey, hey, Mikuru. I know of a special club that's _**really**_ easy to…"

***BONK***

"What did I **just** say?" Mio said after hitting Ritsu again.

"Well, it's still too early to say. She does have to wait until April." Yoriko said.

"April? Wait, that's when a new school year starts over here?" I asked.

"That's right." Nodoka said. "Here in Japan, we have three terms. 1st term is from April to July. With August being summer break. 2nd term, which is when you transferred in, is from September to December. Specifically today. And then the 3rd term is from January to March. And after a week or two, the cycle starts back up again."

"So, that's…11 months of school? Is that really normal?"

"Well, there are holidays in between. But that is the case."

"Geez. I've had it **WAY** easier back home."

"How long is a school year in France, Senpai?" Ui asked.

"Uh…36 weeks."

"That's…9 months."

"No way! You get two extra months off?!" Ritsu complained.

"I guess. I mean…school starts in September, we get two or possibly three weeks off for Christmas and Easter, and then two months off for summer starting in July. As well as half-term breaks."

"Half term breaks? How long is a term?"

"Uh…about a mouth each."

"**A-A MONTH?!**" Everyone shouted in shock.

"Well, we do have 5 terms."

"**5 TERMS?!**"

"They sometimes fly so fast, that we often forget what term it is. It's pretty funny trying to guess."

"And, um…I'm probably going to regret asking this, but…how long does a typical school week last in France?" Mio asked.

"Well…it really depends on if you go to a rural school or not. But a week of school is no more than 4 ½ hours."

"**F-Four…and a half…HOURS?!**" Everyone shouted for a third time.

"**You go to school for 4 ½ hours A WEEK?!**" Mugi asked.

"C-Compared to us going for about 39 ½ hours a week, you guys have it made." Nodoka said.

"_D-Damn, Miharu…_" Ritsu and Jun said.

"Hehheh. Yeah, I guess it is kinda easy over there." I began rubbing the back of her head.

"You know, it kinda makes me wonder why you moved to Japan in the first place, Miharu-chan." Yui said.

"Now that I think about it…you never did explain why you moved here, Miharu." Mio said.

"O-Oh. U-Um…well, you see…"

_Crap! I didn't think they would bring it up now! I'm so not ready for this! What to do?! What to do?!_

"Oh, look. A Christmas movie is on. Let's all watch it together." Mugi said while sitting near the TV."

"When did you…"

"Oh, hey! I love this movie!" Jun interrupted Yui. "Especially the part where the guy gets hit in the nuts by a giant tuna."

"The hell?" Mio, Nodoka, and Ui asked.

"Japan has some really weird humor." Yoriko gained a sweatdrop.

While everyone gathered up by the TV, I was able to calm down and forget the topic ever being brought up.

"_Thanks, Mugi._" I said to her.

"_***giggle***__ You're welcome, Miharu._"

* * *

**Azusa's POV**

"_***sigh* **__Oh, mon Dieu._ That movie is freaking weird." Miharu-senpai said as the two of us were sitting outside looking at the snow.

"Yeah, it really is. I truly don't understand how Jun loves that movie. I think I've seen the others just as confused as I was."

"Huh. Either Jun would watch absolutely anything or Japan has a weird sense of humor."

"Probably both." I said with a sweatdrop.

"Anyway. This view here is nice. So, this is what snow looks like up close, huh?"

"You've never seen snow before, Senpai?"

"It doesn't snow much where I'm from. I mean, it gets cold. But not to the point where it snows. Seeing this for the first time is truly amazing in my eyes."

"You know, Senpai. When it snows on Christmas, they usually call it a White Christmas."

"White Christmas…huh. Sounds romantic, don't you think?"

"R-Romantic?!" I began to blush from shock. "U-Um…s-sure, Senpai. I can…totally see it. Hehheh."

Miharu-senpai looked at me with a confused look for a bit before shrugging my reaction off. A good sign on my end.

_Geez. Freaking Ui. I begged her to help me confess to Miharu-senpai and yet she's watching that nonsensical movie with Jun. How am I supposed to go into such a topic? Especially with how I just reacted when she called this scenery _"_romantic_"_._

_D-Do I just…wing it? And hope for the best?_

_Hmm…_

"Azusa?"

"H-Huh? Y-Y-Yes, Senpai?" I came out of my deep thoughts in a panic.

"You okay? You were spacing out deeply just now."

"O-Oh, um…I-I'm fine, Senpai. Just thinking about some things."

"I see." Miharu-senpai went silent for a bit. "Hey, Azusa. Speaking of which, I've been thinking."

"Huh? About what?"

"What I told you. Back during the welcome party."

"Really?"

"It seemed kinda a lot of self-bio to just drop on you so suddenly. And then making you keep it a secret. I didn't mean to drill the stuff into your head or anything."

"Don't be ridiculous, Senpai. I enjoyed the talk we had. And I'll definitely keep everything you've told me a secret. No problem."

"I see…" Miharu-senpai went silent again. "…Even the part where I said I was your best friend?"

_Cr-Crap! I already told two people about that!_

"U-Uh…w-well…"

"_***giggle***_ It's okay, Azusa. I already know."

"A-Already…know?" I was confused.

"Ui told me shortly before the gift-giving."

"**Wh-Wh-What?!**" I then gained the biggest blush on my face since that time where I was forced to wear those cat ears back when I first joined the club.

_**Wh-Wh-What the hell, Ui?! THIS is how you help me?! By completely rating me out?! What kind of expert are you?!**_

"It was quite the shock, to be honest."

I didn't know what to do at this point. Miharu-senpai **ACTUALLY KNOWS** that I love her. Do I just flat out tell her in order to confirm what Ui told her? Do I deny it completely? So many thoughts were running through my head as I tried to figure out what the hell I should do.

But soon enough…I came to a conclusion. It was the only reasonable one, to be completely honest. There was really no other choice.

And so…I took a deep breath, turned to Miharu-senpai, and said the words that I've wanted to say for a good while…but at the same, I didn't want to.

"Miharu-senpai. I…I…I-I love you."

_Oh, God! I said it! I actually said it! What's she thinking right now?!_

"Azusa…that's really sweet. But I should tell you…I'm not a lesbian."

"O-Oh. I see." I gained a really depressed tone. "Sorry for creeping you out…"

I then was interrupted by the most unexpected thing to ever happen to me. Miharu-senpai had reached other to me and…k-kissed me. Sh-She actually kissed me. O-On the lips, too.

_M-My…My first kiss. It's so…blissful. But…_

When she finally broke apart from me, I was no doubt confused. Don't get me wrong, the kiss was wonderful. But…she just said…

"M-Miharu-senpai…"

"_***giggle***_ Surprised you, didn't I?" She said with a smile.

"B-B-But, I thought…I-I thought you weren't a lesbian."

"I'm not."

"Huh?" I still didn't get it.

Then, while holding up the peace sign, Miharu-senpai said…

"I'm actually bi."

"Wh-What?"

"**WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!**"

"Huh?"

We both then looked at the door and saw it just slightly cracked. It was because everyone was secretly watching our entire conversation. And Ui had just blown there cover.

"Geez, Ui. You don't take surprises well at all." Jun said to her.

"**Wh-What the hell?! You guys were watching the whole time?!**" I yelled with a faint blush of embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, Azusa-chan." Ui said. "Tsumugi-senpai kinda ringed the info right out of me."

"Classic Mugi." Miharu-senpai said with a sweatdrop.

"I'm right here, you know." Mugi-senpai grew insulted.

"**No way! Miharu's bi?! And she and Azusa are going out?!**" Ritsu-senpai yelled. Still in shock.

"To be honest, you were really crappy at hiding it, Azusa." Mio-senpai said.

_You're one to talk, Mio-senpai…_

"_***whine* You're lucky, Miharu-chan! I wanted to take Azu-nyan's first kiss!**_"

"Yui…you're not even gay." Nodoka-senpai said to her.

"_I know, Nodoka-chan. _But every girl should kiss another girl in their lifetime. That's like, the law."

"Wh-Who told you that?"

"Sakurako. She claimed to be an expert about it, too."

"Oh, is she now?" Nodoka-senpai grew slightly pissed.

_Even in a _"_completely different universe_"_, Sakurako's lies can screw with people's minds._

"_Ugh._ And here I was hoping to let Miharu-senpai know about my feelings. Not the entire group." I said. Still upset that everyone was spying on us.

"Oh come on, Azusa. It's not that bad." Jun said. "In a setting of teenage girls going to an all-girls school, there should've been a lesbian among us a long time ago."

"She's right." Nodoka-senpai. "Although, I am surprised that it was Azusa-san and not you, Jun-san."

"Wh-Wh-What are you implying, Senpai?!"

"Huh? Wait, you mean you're not gay?" Ritsu-senpai asked.

"**What?! No! What made you think I was?!**"

"_Well…_" We all said.

"Hey, girls. Mikuru fell asleep. So, we're gonna call it a night." Tamura-san said as she walked up to us with a sleeping Mikuru-san on her back.

"Alright, Yoriko. We're coming." Miharu-senpai said.

"S-So…S-Senpai. D-Does this mean…" I asked.

"_***giggle***_ Sure, Azusa. You're a cute girl. I'll totally be your girlfriend." Miharu-senpai held up another peace sign.

"Can you not act so casual about it?" Mio-senpai complained.

"Wait, girlfriend? Did I miss something?" Tamura-san asked.

"We'll explain on the way home." Mugi-senpai said.

"S-Senpai…th-thank you." I said as I hugged my now girlfriend. "This really makes me happy."

"Je suis content que tu ressens ça…Azusa."

With her rubbing the top of my head, Miharu-senpai's soothing French was like music to my ears. So sweet and caring…I truly never want this new bond of ours to end.

_Even after…well…I rather not think about that right now._

…

…

…

"So, is no one going to explain why you all thought I was a lesbian?"

"Shh! Don't ruin the moment, Jun-chan!" Ui said to her.

"B-But…_aw, forget it._"

_**Author's Note:**_** Miharu and Azusa are now a couple! Fun fact, this was the original concept for the story. But soon after the first chapter was uploaded, I had second thoughts on it. It was one of the main reasons it was taken down the first time. That and I was super busy at the time.**

**After this chapter, this story will be going on a break for a while. 15 chapters is a good stopping point for now and I can focus on other stories. But it will return soon. With a time skip, of course.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	16. Final Fresh Start

**Chapter 16 – Final Fresh Start**

**Ritsu's POV**

"Hey, hey! Everyone!"

"Y-Yui? Y-You're actually early?" Mio asked Yui as she and I walked up to her, Ui, and Nodoka in the school hallway.

"It was a shock to me, as well." Ui said. "Normally, it would about 10 minutes to wake her up."

"Are you really excited about being a third-year, Yui?" Nodoka asked.

"Of course, Nodoka-chan! I'm super duper excited! It's our final year of high school, after all."

"Why do I feel like it's something else along with that?"

"You can tell?" I asked.

"I've known Yui for most of my life. I can definitely tell when something she does has a motive."

"_***whine***_ _Nodoka-chan! You're making me look like a criminal!_"

"Oh, I can definitely understand, Nodoka-san." Mio said. "It's the same thing with this one right here."

"**Y-You too, Mio?!**" I yelled.

"_***giggle***_ So, there really is a straight man for every ditzy character. It's really interesting."

"**Wh-Who are you calling a ditzy character?!**" Yui and I yelled at Ui.

"Hey, at least you're being thought of as a lesbian." Jun said as she and Azusa walked up to us.

"You still haven't let that go?" Ui asked.

"How could I? The last chapter ended with nobody explaining to me why **I **was the suspected lesbian girl. It's been bugging me for the two weeks this story went AWOL for two weeks."

"Now, you're breaking the 4th wall?" Mio asked with a facepalm.

"I can't help it. Azusa got me into it. It's so fun."

"Right? At this rate, we could be as entertaining as Yuru Yuri." Azusa said.

"And just what the hell is wrong with our show?" I asked.

"Well, where to start…"

"**S-Seriously?!**"

"Ritsu-san…you're just feeding her at this point." Nodoka said with a sweatdrop.

"Feeding her what? A Bloop Razzle Slurpee?" And then now joining us were Miharu and Himeko. And seeing that Miharu has a Slurpee, I can tell what happened before they got here.

_I guess every day is Slurpee Day for this French girl…_

"Did you seriously make Himeko get you a Slurpee this early in the morning?" Mio asked.

"It's okay, Akiyama-san." Himeko said. "I had to pick up my paycheck anyways. So, it was killing two birds with one stone."

"Well…if you say so."

"Hey, hey. Miharu-chan. So, where is she, huh? Is she here yet?"

"She?" Miharu didn't get it at first. But after taking another sip of her Slurpee… "Oh, yeah. She's with Mugi in the bathroom. They'll be out soon."

"Oh, boy! I'm so excited!"

"For what?" I asked. "And who is this "she"?"

"Huh? Did you forget, Ricchan?"

"Forget what?"

"Don't you remember, Ritsu-senpai? Mikuru-san's starting school today." Azusa said.

"Huh?"

…

"O-Oh, yeah! I remember! Man. To have an innocent little kōhai like her…this final year's going to be interesting. _***giggle***_"

"I totally agree with you, Ricchan. _***giggle***_" Yui said.

"I should've just kept my mouth shut…" Azusa said with a facepalm.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Moring." We all said to Mugi.

"Hey, where's Mikuru?" Miharu asked.

"Where else." Mugi then pointed behind her to show a normally frighten Mikuru Tamura hiding behind her back.

"_Th-There is so many people here…I-I-I can not do this! Pl-Please take me back home!_"

"I see…" Miharu then took another sip of her Slurpee.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. With Mikuru being the only first-year, she's going to be all alone, isn't she?"

"_A-Alone?! N-N-No~!_"

***POW***

"You idiot!" Mio yelled after hitting me in the head.

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out now, huh?" Jun asked. Then, while pointing a finger diagonally in the air, she yelled out: "**Onward! To the next chapter!**"

"**STOP BREAKING THE 4****TH**** WALL!**" Most of us yelled. Gaining the attention of nearby students as we were looking pretty crazy right now.

_Yep. This final year's going to be __**really**__ interesting._

_**Author's Note:**_** A short chapter this time. Didn't really put much effort into it. Just wanted to update the story. Later.**


	17. A Lonely Girl's First Friend

**Chapter 17 – A Lonely Girl's First Friend**

"Geez. It sure took a while to get Mikuru off of Mugi, huh?"

"That's because you scared her when you said that she's going to be all alone." Mio said to Ritsu.

"I-I said I was sorry, okay? I didn't plan on making her feel worse."

"Knowing how you think, I find that hard to believe."

It was sometime after we all met up and now Ritsu, Mio, Yui, Mugi, Nodoka, Himeko, and I were in class. About to officially start our…final year of high school?

"Is this really the last year of high school? Last year felt so short…"

"It's probably because you moved here very late into your second year." Nodoka said.

"It was the beginning of October when you first transferred here." Himeko said. "The second term was already ¼ of the way done."

"_***sigh***_ I still don't understand this Japanese school system. It's so confusing compared to the one in France."

"I'm still mind-blown by the fact you have it so easy over there." Ritsu said. "Do you know how much I would **LOVE** coming to school for 4 ½ a week? That's so much free time to just…do whatever."

"If we had that much time to just "do whatever", then how would we learn?" Himeko asked.

"Well, if Miharu can get to the 12th grade with that logic, then I'm pretty damn sure I can, too!" Ritsu yelled out as she made a prideful pose with one foot on her chair.

"Yeah! The easier, the better!" Yui yelled while doing the same thing.

"I-I see…" Himeko gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, don't worry, Miharu." Mugi said to me. "Now you'll get to experience a full year of school in Japan. Especially since it's our final year."

"Oh, yeah." Ritsu said. "Third-years get so many perks. You're in for a hell of a good time, Miharu."

"What exactly happens in a typical Japanese school year?"

"Well…it's too early to say. Since it just started. But you'll find out sooner or later."

"I see."

As the bell rang and everyone went to their seats, I was already drifting off in my own thoughts as the teacher began talking. I wasn't sure how long I was out, but I was brought back when I felt a small vibration in my pocket.

_Huh? My phone? Who's calling me now of all times?_

Secretly checking my phone without the teacher noticing, I saw that it was a message from Mugi.

"_You're worried about Mikuru-chan?_"

_She's spot on, as always…_

"Yeah. I am. Can't help but worry since she's alone in that class."

***BZZZT***

"_Can't blame you. I'm worried, myself._"

"About Mikuru? That's odd."

***BZZZT***

"_Well…it's not just her._"

"What?"

It was about a minute or two later that I got a response. And when I saw what Mugi texted, I can see why she's worried.

"_Miharu…I feel like something in this very school is going to make our lives complete and total hell._"

_Aw, crap. That can't be good._

* * *

**Mikuru's POV**

_**MEANWHILE…**_

_***moan***__ I-I cannot believe that I am actually doing this. I-It had never accrued to me that I would be the only first-year student. I-I do not know anyone here and I am scared to go inside._

I creped my head through the door and looked inside my new classroom. A bunch of girls were either talking with others or just sitting alone. And even if I do the latter, the former might happen and I might panic in front of them all.

"I-It looks like it is still early. M-Maybe I can sneak out and go home. I do not think I am ready for such a…"

"Um…excuse me."

"***shriek***"

"Eeek! I-I am sorry! I-I did not mean to scare you!" I was suddenly made face-to-face with a blonde-haired girl with blue eyes. She looked really pretty…but also kinda familiar.

"U-Um…it is okay. I-It is my fault for talking to myself. I-I will get out of your way now." I said as I left the doorway.

"Huh? Are you not in this class?"

"W-Well…y-yes. I-It is. B-But I am not going. I-I cannot do this and I am going home! I-It is too terrifying!"

"Huh? W-Wait! Please!" I heard the girl call out. But I did not stop running. Just talking to a girl I did not know terrified me to extreme measures. I think I am having a panic attack.

_I did not think that school would be this scary! Why did I agree to such an activity?! __**Mother! I wish to come home!**_

* * *

I had ran so much that I was out of breath. And decided to take a rest underneath some stairs nearby. I was completely under them. So I was hopeful that I wouldn't be seen by anyone.

"_***sigh***_ What am I doing? A girl my age coming to high school. I already had some doubts about the whole idea. How did Mother convince me to do this?"

***A MONTH BEFORE MIHARU MOVED TO JAPAN…***

"Huh? Return to school? M-Mother, I do not think I can…"

"Mikuru…you already missed most of your first year of junior high and it's looking like you'll miss all of your second year, too. Granted…we had reasons for that…"

I started becoming sad as I began to think about why I left school so suddenly. Yes, it was mainly because I was too shy to do much of anything. But there was another reason. One bigger than my anxiety problems.

"Father…I do miss him so."

"_***sigh***_ I know, Mikuru. I miss him, too."

"Would it not be best if I worked here in the hotel with you, Mother? I am pretty sure Father would appreciate such an action from his daughter. I can not bear to have you be alone once more."

"Mikuru…" Mother went silent as reached over and pulled me for a hug. "…You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. You need to continue your education. I'm pretty sure your father would like that more than you staying inside this small hotel all your life. Wouldn't you agree?"

…

…

…

"Y…Yes. Father would like that. But I am too scared to even think of such an idea. There would be so many new people at my old school. I am pretty sure the friends that I have are all gone."

That was when Mother went silent again and kept staring at me with a look that felt uncomfortable to stare at.

"Wh-What?"

"Mikuru…do you remember what was said after your last test result?"

"What was…last said? I do not remember. Is it important?"

"It concluded that if you were to return to school, you would go straight to high school. It's because of your birthday, remember?"

…

"Mikuru?"

I did not respond.

"Mikuru?"

I still did not respond.

"Mikuru. Are you okay, sweetie?"

I did not respond. But I felt my body tense up with worry as more and more thoughts ran through my mind. Increasing my anxiety ever so rapidly as I began to tear up.

"_M-M-M-M-M-M-Mother…_**WAAAAA! I CAN NOT DO IT! PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME GO!**"

"Mikuru…your anxiety is something else sometimes." Mother gained a sweatdrop.

***PRESENT TIME***

It was rather rude for Mother to say that right in front of me. But…she is right. My anxiety has only increased since Father's passing. To the point where I rarely leave the hotel. The party at the Hirasawa residence was the first time I went outside in about a year. And yet, I still have not gotten used to the idea of leaving every morning to come to school.

"_***sigh***_ I really am a mess."

"How are you a mess? If you do not mind me asking."

"Huh? Wh-Who is there?"

"Up here."

I looked up above and saw that same blonde-haired girl from before standing over me from the stairs.

"Y-You…H-How did you know I was here?"

"I am trained to find lost things. Whether it be an object or a person like yourself."

_Trained?_

"I-I see."

Without really saying much else, the girl came down the stairs and sat next to me. I felt my anxiety rising up once more. I felt like I was going to pass out from another panic attack.

"You know…I was really worried about you."

That is until I heard that.

"W-Worried? A-About me? W-We do not know each other, do we?"

"Yes. It is true that we only met today. But the way you ran off earlier…it made me believe that I did something wrong. I wanted to apologize. So I came looking for you."

"O-Oh. I-I see. W-Well, uh…y-you really did not do anything wrong. Th-This is just…h-how I normally act."

"Is it now?"

"I-I have…v-very high anxiety problems. I-I get scared whenever I am near someone I do not know and I often stutter my sentences. I-It is a common trait of mine."

"I see. I am rather shy myself. I have only been around one person most of my life and so…this is technically my first time meeting someone other than that one person."

"I-I see."

_Come to think of it, this girl is a lot like me. Really shy, only been with one person…it is kinda like looking into a mirror of sorts._

"W-Well, uh…I-I am sorry for running away. I-It is a natural instinct."

"Oh, I completely understand. I still sometimes do that myself. Plus, I did kinda scare you."

"Sc-Scared? I-I was not scared. Y-You just…h-happened to appear out of nowhere, that is all." I felt myself blush a little.

"You know…your stuttering makes it difficult to believe such a statement."

"A-As I said. Th-This is a common trait of mine."

"I know. And I can relate, as well. I am known to say "Eeek!" a lot."

"Eeek? I do not understand its meaning."

"It usually means "to be startled" or such things related to it. I am easily startled. So it became a part of my vocabulary indefinitely."

"I see. Such a mysterious word."

"_***giggle***_ Yes. Indeed it is."

"What is so funny?" I asked with a confused look on my face.

"You did not stutter the last few sentences. I had just noticed."

"Huh? I…did not stutter?" I was shocked myself once I had noticed it on my own. "I…I do not understand."

"Maybe it is because you are comfortable around me now."

"C…Comfortable?"

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Th-The bell! I-I was going to sneak out of here and go home! _I-I had completely forgotten about it!_" I whined in distress.

"Well…since you are still here, do you mind if I help you conquer this first day?"

…

…

…

"Y-You…You would do that? For me?" I turned to face the girl.

"I really do not mind. Helping people is in my DNA. So this is quite normal for me."

"I see. Well…thank you. I really appreciate it."

"It is not a problem at all, uh…w-wait…"

"Have we been talking for this long without knowing each other's name?"

"Well…the conversation at hand was pretty distracting."

"That…is true." I then went silent for a moment. Preparing myself to do something that I…really haven't done since meeting Miharu-san. "Well…my name is Mikuru. Mikuru Tamura."

"And my name is Sumire. Sumire Saitō."

"It is nice to meet you, Sumire-san."

"It is nice to meet you, Mikuru-san."

We both had said that with a bow. And once we had realized that, we both ended up giggling at each other. With me gaining my first smile as a high school student.

"Well, now. Shall we head to class, Mikuru-san?"

"Yes. Let us make our way there, Sumire-san."

And with that said, we both walked to our classroom together. Both of us feeling better that the misunderstanding was cleared up. and also happy that we each made a new friend.

_M-Maybe…M-Maybe high school will not be as bad as I believed it to be._

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

"_***stress-filled moan* *stress-filled groan***_"

"Mugi. You've been moaning and groaning all morning. It's getting annoying."

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. Mio-chan. I just…have a lot of things on my mind."

"You mean with **THAT** situation?"

"Well…yeah. Most of it relates to that."

"Geez. It's been like…6 months since this whole feud between Mugi and her father started and there's still no end to it?" Ricchan asked. "He really is a stubborn piece of…"

"_Ricchan…_"

"Tch! R-Right. S-Sorry, Mugi."

"This really isn't like you, Mugi-chan. Being sad and stressed out." Yui-chan said.

"And especially for this long, too. Is having Miharu-senpai around really that big of a problem for your family?" Azusa-chan asked.

"Well, my father is dead set on it. My mother doesn't want to be too involved. She just wants us two to make up. But seeing as how it's been 6 months already, I find that objective getting harder and harder to do."

"Well, Mugi. It all depends on what you want out of it." Mio-chan said.

"What I…want out of this?"

"What I mean is…do you wish to stay in Miharu's life?"

"O-Of course, I do! Miharu's my half-sister and I want to be with her for a vigintillion years!"

"_What the hell is that?_" I heard Miharu and Azusa-chan whisper in a confused tone.

"If that's what you want, then you should stick by that decision."

"Yeah, Mio's right." Ricchan added. "If you want to stay with Miharu, then you have every right to do so. You said it yourself. You prefer this, don't you?"

…

…

…

"Yes. I...I really do." I said after thinking about it to myself for a little while. "I may be estranged from my family right now. But being with Miharu has made me happier than…well…I can't really remember when I was this happy. Being on my own without these "Rich Girl Privileges" following me everywhere has really opened my eyes as to what exactly I was missing for nearly 18 years of my life. Granted, the situation I'm in is nowhere near a normal way to realize it. But it's better than nothing, I guess."

"Yeah, I can agree with you there, Mugi." Miharu said. "Never in my life did I think I would move down here and find out that I have a half-sister. But since then, it's been so fun being around you. If we get extremely separated now, I wouldn't know what to do."

"M-Miharu…" Hearing that made me want to cry again. But I held it in. I already cried in front of Miharu and Ricchan. There's no way I'm doing it in front of any more people.

"You know…it _**really**_ has been on my mind on just **HOW** you two are sisters." Yui-chan said.

"H-Huh?"

"Wh-What are you talking about, Yui-chan?" I asked.

"Well, if I'm remembering this right…Mugi-chan's Japanese. And Miharu-chan's French. I don't really get the resemblance."

"You know…I don't, either." Mio-chan said. "I mean, there are the facial features you mentioned earlier. But that's about it."

"And the fact that you both grew up in different countries doesn't really help, either." Azusa-chan added.

"W-Well, it makes sense to me." I stuttered.

"Y-Yeah, me too. **C-Completely** makes sense." Miharu stuttered also. Both of us had mildly red blushes on our faces as we both remembered how **EXACTLY** we became related.

"_Ooh~. I sense some secrecy in the room~._" Ricchan teased.

"Come on, you guys! Just tell us already!" Yui-chan begged.

"_U-Uh…_"

"_W-Well…_"

_Crap! What do we do?! Everyone is staring us down! We could really use a diversion right about now!_

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Um…Miharu-san?"

"Oh! Mikuru!"

_Saved by the_ _kōhai…_

"Looks like you found your way here no problem. How's your first day going?"

"It's, um…doing well. Better than I thought, as a matter of fact. I even made a new friend."

"Wow. Already? That's impressive, Mikuru-san." Mio-chan said.

"Th-Thank you, Akiyama-san."

"So, who's your friend, Miku-chan? Do we know her?" Yui-chan asked.

"Senpai. If she's Mikuru-san's friend, then I'm pretty sure we don't know her." Azusa-chan said.

"Oh, yeah…"

"Sh-She went to the bathroom just now. Sh-She should be here any minute…"

"Mikuru-san."

"O-Oh. H-Here she is."

Mikuru-chan then came inside the clubroom…along with another girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. And once I made full contact with her, I went into full panic.

"E-Everyone. Th-This is…"

"**S-S-S-Sumire?!**" I yelled out. Interrupting Mikuru-chan.

"Oh. Tsumugi-ojōsama. What a surprise."

"W-Wait, what?" Yui-chan asked.

"Ojōsama?" Miharu was confused with the honorific.

"Mugi, you know this girl?" Ricchan asked me.

With all the panic already built up inside me, I decided to just come clean and tell them who this girl is. Even though I'm going to **HIGHLY** regret it in the near future.

"_***sigh***_ Everyone…this is Sumire Saitō. M…M-My maid."

…

…

…

"Wh-**WHAT?! Y-YOUR MAID?!**" Everyone in the room (aside from Sumire and I) yelled in total shock as they tried to process what I had just told them.

And how to prepare for more information.

_***whine***__ This is __**NOT**__ the diversion I had in mind!_

_**Author's Note:**_** The first day of the new school year continues as Mikuru tries (and mostly fails) to get over her anxiety. In the process, however, she ends up making a new friend. A friend that Mugi knows all too well.**

**So, just to throw this fact out there…I've never read the manga. When I first saw the anime, I didn't even know that manga was a thing. I was still new to anime at the time.**

**With that said, I had no idea who Sumire was until about a year ago. So, I was looking at the wiki as I was writing her in. It helped a lot.**

**So, with Sumire being in this story, it only means one thing. I aged her up. Like I said, I didn't know of her existence until about a year ago. So I had no idea that she's a first-year at the same time that Azusa is a third-year. Hell, I didn't even know that the story continued after the original four graduated. I was pretty satisfied with how the anime ended.**

**Anyway. Sumire is the last new character for this story. I was going to add Nao, too. But I couldn't make her work.**

**Oh, and by the way. Vigintillion is a 1 followed by 63 zeros. Yes, it's a real number. It's just never used. And for obvious reasons.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	18. Sister-ish Rivalry

**Chapter 18 – Sister-ish Rivalry **

"Well, now…things have really escalated quickly now, haven't they? How will Mugi-senpai get herself out of _**this**_ mess? Read on, Readers. And you will find the answer!"

"**Wh-When did you get here?!**" Mio yelled at Jun as she was in the middle of breaking the 4th wall again.

"I snuck in as the chapters were changing. I'm using these 4th wall breaks to my advantage now. Like a dimensional-breaking ninja or something like that."

"_***sigh***_ I swear. You and Azusa are taking these 4th wall breaks way too far."

"_But it's fun…_" Both Jun and Azusa whined.

"Uh…guys. Can we continue the story now?" I asked.

"Yeah, I really want to know what this maid thing is about." Ritsu added.

"_***sigh***_ Fine, whatever. It's not like these 4th wall breaks are going to stop."

"Ui was right when she said that we're slowly turning into Yuru Yuri." Yui said.

"**W-We better not!**"

Anyway…getting back on track, the six of us (well, seven. Since Jun's here) were still beyond shocked when Mugi had told us that Mikuru's new friend, Sumirror…Satoe…or whatever her name is, is her personal maid. The fact that maids in Japan can be _**this**_ young is…wow.

_Rich people must have their own rulesets or something…_

"Sumire-san. You really work for Kotobuki-san?" Mikuru asked.

"Yes. I do. I have worked for Tsumugi-ojōsama and the Kotobuki family for most of my life. In fact, it is more like a…family business of sorts."

"I…see."

"You know…I'm not really surprised that Mugi-senpai has a maid. But I'm more surprised that she's _**this **_young." Jun said.

"Yeah, no kidding." Azusa said. "I think she's the same age as Mikuru-san."

"I am currently 15-years-old." The maid girl said. "But I will be turning 16 later this year."

"Woah…" Both second-years said in union.

"Anyway…it is good to see you again, Tsumugi-ojōsama. It has been a long while since we've last seen each other."

"Y-Yeah…s-same to you, Sumire…" Mugi had a stressed-out look of defeat on her face. That message she sent me this morning about something in this school was going to make our lives complete and total hell came true after all. And she was kicking herself in the gut hard right now.

_Geez. Poor Mugi._

I then felt an intense stare of hate coming my way. And looking at the source, I felt a chill down my spine. As this Sumirror girl was staring me down with an evil glare in her eyes.

_Cr-Crap! Th-This girl's creeping me out!_

"So…is this the one? The long lost half-sister?" Sumirror asked.

"S-So, you've heard of me…"

"How could I have not? After all…it is because of you that Tsumugi-ojōsama left the mansion and left me all alone! **How DARE you take my Onee-chan away from me?!**"

"**O-Onee-chan?!**" The four bandmates, Mikuru, and Jun yelled in total shock.

"***clears throat*** I do apologize for that. I have lost my composer due to my emotions." Sumirror then said after calming down a little.

"Uh…Onee-chan? Is that some kind of pet name or something?" I asked.

"Onee-chan means "older sister", senpai." Azusa said.

"Older sister? Mugi, you have an actual sister?"

"N-No, Miharu. Sumire just calls me that because we grew up together."

"_Oh…_"

I still didn't get it.

"Although…it's been years since you've referred me as such, Sumire. Why bring it up, all of a sudden?"

"Because, Ojōsama. You do not understand how much I have been hurting since your departure. I have been living alone at the mansion…wishing that you would come home already…while you have the fun and the excitement with this…this…**illegitimate child!**"

"**S-Sumire!**"

"Il-le-gi-ti…mate? Is that another Japanese word?" I asked while being totally confused.

"N-No, Miharu." Ritsu said with a sweatdrop.

"_***sigh***_ Forgive me, Ojōsama. I have lost my composer again."

"Geez, it's like this girl has a switch or something."

***BONK***

"Ow!"

"Shut it!" Azusa said after hitting Jun in the head.

"You are forgiven, Sumire." Mugi said. "But I will not allow you to disrespect my half-sister again. She is very special to me."

"But am I not special to you, Ojōsama? We used to be inseparable. All the favors I preformed for you…I secretly brought manga to you so that you can better understand the life of a "regular" girl."

"_**Regular**_ girl?" The rest of us were now looking at Mugi with insulted looks on our faces.

"I-I was naïve as a child. Pl-Please forget that." Mugi replied in a somewhat panicked tone.

"It was grueling work, sure. But I enjoyed it none the less. It was all for my beloved Onee-cha…Ojōsama…and I would do anything to make her happy."

Sumirror then looked at me again with the same creepy glare of hate from before. And the chill in my spine came back, as well.

"But…I haven't been able to do such a thing…in over six months. I have been alone for that long…hoping that Ojōsama will one day return to me and my shattered heart will be restored. But that has not happened yet. And it is because of _**YOU**_, Neroni! **You stole my Onee-chan from me!**"

"**Gah!**" I yelled in fear as I backed up towards Azusa. "G-Guys, this Sumirror girl is _**really**_ creeping me out!"

"**Sumire!**" Mugi yelled at her. Both girls had soon calmed down afterward. "_***sigh***_ Look, I truly am sorry for leaving without telling you. But it was not my decision. Father had kicked me out after I had refused to leave Miharu. It is his fault that this has turned out how it is."

"I understand that, Ojōsama. But do you not think this has gone on long enough? You have been estranged from your family for half a year at this point. How are you surviving on your own like this?"

"I'm surviving due to the support of my friends…and my half-sister. Miharu is the one family member that understands me on a spiritual level. She sees me not as a mistress or a stereotypical rich girl…but as a normal 17-year-old teenage girl. Something very few people tend to do. She understands me and what I am going through. And I hope that you will do the same, Sumire."

"Wh-What? B-But, Ojōsama…"

"That is an order, Sumire." Mugi said in a stern look and tone. Looking completely serious.

…

…

…

"_***sigh***_ F…Fine. I-I shall obey. I will try to accept Neroni into your life."

"Thank you, Sumire. And please. Refer to my half-sister as…Miharu-ojōsama."

"**Wh-What?! O-Ojōsama, you cannot be serious! I-I could never…**"

"Sumire…"

…

…

…

"F-Fine. A-As you wish. I-It will be…a-a pleasure to…g-get to…kn-know you, M…Mi…_Miharu-ojōsama_." It looked like it took every part of her strength for Sumirror to say that. And even then, it was still scary as hell.

"Um…same here…Sumirror." I said.

***INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE***

"Aw, man. Lunch is over already. This was getting good."

"Don't make this like a TV soap opera." Mio retorted to Ritsu.

"Oh, Sumire." Mugi said. "I would like to continue this conversation after school. So, please return here to me and Miharu."

"Huh? B-But, Ojōsama…"

"Mugi. I really don't think I should be involved in this." I chimed in. "Sumirror clearly doesn't like me."

"It'll be fine, Miharu. Sumire knows clearly well what happens if she disobeys my orders. Right, Sumire?"

"I…I…_Ugh._ Y-Yes. A-As you command, Tsumugi-ojōsama." Sumirror said with a look of defeat in her eyes before making her way out of the clubroom. But before leaving completely, she turned to face me one more time. And the sudden chill in my spine returned once more.

"Oh. And Miharu-ojōsama. _**Please**_…cease referring to me as "Sumirror". I have dealt with it this entire chapter and it is pissing me off."

"Alright! A fellow 4th wall-breaker! High five!" Jun cheered as she and Azusa had high-fived each other.

"Honestly, you two…" Mio said with a facepalm.

"S-Sorry, about that. I don't know any Japanese." I said while rubbing the back of my head.

"_***sigh***_ Whatever. I am going back to class. I will meet you there, Mikuru-san."

"O-Okay. I will meet you there, Sumire-san." Mikuru said.

Once Su…Su…wh-what's-her-face had left, I felt the chill leave my spine and the tense atmosphere ceasing to exist. I don't know what I was dragged into, but I feel like I'm going to hate every minute of it.

"_Ugh._ Geez. That was something." I said. "Why did you involve me into that, Mugi?"

"I know. Thinking it over, that was a stupid thing to do. Now I feel like the situation is only going to get worse."

"How would it get worse than it already is?" Mio asked.

"I'm not sure, Mio-chan. It's just…this feeling in my gut."

"I see…"

"Well…let's just head back to class and let this breeze over a little. It's still the first day." Ricchan said.

"_***sigh***_ Yeah, I guess."

"_Zzz…Haaah…Zzz…_"

We looked over at the table to see Yui completely knocked out on the table. Her face smeared with frosting from the cake she was eating and the fork she was using still in her right hand.

"W-Was she…Was she asleep this whole time?" I asked.

"_***sigh***_ Damnit, Yui…" Ritsu and Mio facepalmed hard.

"H-Hirasawa-san…i-is a third-year?" Mikuru asked.

"We're just as shocked as you are, Mikuru-san." Azusa and Jun said in union.

"Yui-chan…Yui-chan, it's time to wake up." Mugi said as she shook her body to wake her up.

"_H-Huh? Oh. __***yawn***_ Hey, guys. What I miss?"

"Pretty much the entire chapter." We all said as we collectively gained a huge sweatdrop. While Yui was left with a huge confused look on hers.

_And yet, I'm the one labeled as "something else"…_

_**Author's Note:**_** A small update this time with not much else to say. Although, I will say that I wish Sumire had a birthday listed somewhere instead of me guessing what it is. Must be because she only appears in the manga. Oh, well.**

**And yes, it will be a running gag that Miharu can never get Sumire's name right. I just find it funny. No real reason to it.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	19. The Gig of a Lifetime

**Chapter 19 – The Gig of a Lifetime**

**Yui's POV**

"Yui, for the last time. I'm not naming my keytar."

"_Aw, come on, Miharu-chan!_" I whined as I was talking with Miharu-chan about her keytar. "Think of all the cute names you could give him. He's like a special companion for you."

"He?"

"Well, it looks like a he."

"That doesn't make any sense! And besides, where would the _la bite_ be?!"

"The…bite?" I asked. Thinking of "taking a bite out of something".

"No, the _la bite_. The "I" sounds like an "E"."

"What's that?" I was now curious as to what it meant.

"It's French for co…"

"**M-Miharu-senpai!**" Azu-nyan yelled with a faint blush on her face.

"What? I was just going to tell her that it meant co…"

"**No! Don't you DARE say it!**"

"_***sigh* **_Fine. Never mind."

"You really are bold with your language huh, Miharu?" Mugi-chan asked her.

_Does she know what it means?_

"Sure am. I get it from my dad."

"_Who would've thought…?_" Ricchan and Mio-chan sarcastically said.

_Do they know it, too?! Why am I the only one?!_

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Yes? Come in." Mugi-chan said.

"Hey, hey, girls. Do I have a special surprise for you."

…

…

…

"What?" Sawa-chan asked as we all kept staring at her.

"Holy crap. You actually knocked?" We all said in shock.

"**Y-You've been begging me to knock this whole time and when I actually do it, you're SHOCKED?!**"

"That's because we never thought you would do it." Ricchan said.

"We pretty much gotten used to you just appearing out of nowhere." I added.

"_***sigh***_ Geez, there's no satisfying you girls." Sawa-chan said with an exasperated tone.

"So, what's this surprise you're talking about?" Azu-nyan asked.

"Oh, right. You girls aren't doing anything for Golden Week, right?"

"Hmm…no."

"Not particularly." Mio-chan said.

"I wish." Ricchan said. "I'll probably be home the whole time."

"Same with me." I said.

"My family goes on a trip every year. But I'm pretty sure I won't be a part of it this year." Mugi-chan said in a somewhat sad tone.

"Wait, what's Golden Week?" Miharu-chan asked.

"It's a collection of holidays that run from the end of April to the beginning of May."

"The holidays are so consecutive that it gained the named "Golden Week" because it's basically the perfect week." Mio-chan added.

"Hey, speaking of which. Did you girls hear that this year's Golden Week is going to be 10 days long?" I asked.

"I know, right?!" Ricchan cheered. "They're calling it a "Once-In-A-Lifetime" Golden Week! And I can easily see why!"

"_Hah~. 10 days off from school. It's like a dream come true~._"

"_So true, Yui. So freaking true._"

"A typical response from the two laziest people we know…" Mio-chan said with a facepalm.

"Anyway." Sawa-chan continued. "Since you all are free, how does this work for ya? A trip to Okinawa Island!" She then slammed a group of plane tickets onto the table as proof of it all.

"**O-Okinawa Island?!**" Five of us shouted in complete shock. Miharu-chan gained a confused look on her face. Probably because she's never heard of Okinawa.

"**H-How the hell did you get a bunch of plane tickets to Okinawa?!**" Mio-chan asked.

"I have an old friend who just recently moved there. She's helping out with a music festival that's happening there and she called me last week with some kind of dilemma."

"What kind of dilemma?" Mugi-chan asked.

"They have all these groups and such performing for this festival…but they're missing one more to have a full roster. When my friend told me this, I mentioned you girls. And she's willing to hear you out. Thus, explains the plane tickets."

"_Woah…_us performing in Okinawa…**we definitely gotta do this, girls!**" Ricchan cheered with excitement.

"**I'm totally with you, Ricchan! Okinawa all the way!**" I cheered.

"Okinawa would be nice." Mio-chan said. "Considering how tropical it is, it won't be too hot around this time of year."

"So, it's an island?" Miharu-chan asked. "Cool! I didn't even know Japan even had islands! I'm definitely interested!"

"_G-Going to Okinawa with Miharu-senpai…b-beach and swimsuit and all…__***moan***_"

"A-Azu-nyan. Your nose is bleeding…" I said to her with a sweatdrop.

_Guess it'll be the first time Azu-nyan will see Miharu-chan in a swimsuit. I guess it makes sense for her to react like that. They are dating and all._

"_Okinawa…_Um…c-can I think about it for a bit?"

"Huh?" We all asked as we turned to Mugi-chan.

"W-Well, you see…Okinawa is…k-kinda complicated for me."

"Well, whatever." Sawa-chan said. "You've got until the end of the week to make a decision. Otherwise, I gotta return the tickets. I didn't pay for them, after all." She then left the clubroom with the tickets in her hand. Leaving us with a new topic to talk about.

"Why's Okinawa complicated for you, Mugi?" Ricchan asked.

"W-Well, it's…it's because my…parents are going to Okinawa this year."

"Seriously?" We asked.

"It's what Sumire told me. Apparently, my father made plans for him and my mother to go for their anniversary. If he finds out that I'm going there for a concert gig. And with Miharu, no less…no doubt it's going to cause conflict."

"Right. This damn feud." Ricchan said in a sour tone.

"I'm truly sorry for this. I really didn't plan for this to last this long. Six months is truly ridiculous. Even for a problem such as mine."

"Well, do you want to make up with your dad, Mugi-senpai?" Azu-nyan asked.

"I do. I really do." Mugi-chan then went silent for a bit. With an added sigh of sadness. "But…I want Miharu in my life. That's not something I'm willing to give up."

"And that's the only way this will all blow over?" Mio-chan asked.

"It appears so. My father is dead-set with his thoughts. Changing his mind is as difficult as waking up Yui-chan after class."

"H-Hey, it's not **THAT** difficult!" I yelled. Feeling completely insulted.

"It kinda is, Yui." Miharu-chan said. "I'm honestly surprised how Himeko is completely fine with it. She treats it like it's her second job."

"That's because Hime-chan is Hime-chan! That's just how she is!"

"That makes no damn sense…" Miharu-chan gained a sweatdrop.

"So, if your parents are going to be there…we might have to think of a way to make them believe that we didn't bring you there." Ricchan said.

"How are we going to do that?" Azu-nyan asked. "I mean, it's not like we can just hide Mugi-senpai or something."

…

…

…

"**THAT'S IT!**" I shouted. Scaring the others as I jumped out of my chair.

"**What?! What's it, Yui?!**" Ricchan asked.

"We really can hide Mugi-chan! Just put her in a disguise!"

"A disguise?"

"You know. Pass her off as one of our relatives our something."

"You know…that's not a bad idea, Yui. With the right looks, we could pass Mugi off as a cousin or something."

"A disguise…" Mugi-chan looked unsure of the idea. "I don't know…I'm not really sure if someone as recognizable as me can be easily disguised."

"Well, we'll just have to find someone who can easily do it." Azu-nyan said. "Possibly someone who's extremely girly."

"But who do we know that's girly enough to do such a thing?" Mio-chan asked.

And then, with little to no hesitation, all five of us slowly turned to Mio-chan and kept staring at her. She was creeped out at first. But then, she started putting it together.

"W-Wait…D-Do you five think that **I'M** the girly one?!"

"Yep." I said.

"No doubt." Azu-nyan said.

"Probably the only girly girl that I know." Miharu-chan said.

"Your girliness is cute though, Mio-chan." Mugi-chan said.

"**Wh-What?!**"

"Come on, Mio. You can't deny it. I've known you since grade school and you were **SUPER** girly back then." Ricchan said.

"**Th-There's no WAY this is true! I-I'm not girly!**"

"We seriously have to prove it to you?"

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Yes? Come in." Mugi-chan said.

"H-Hello, everyone."

"**Miku-chan!**" I cheered as one of the only first-years we knew walked into our clubroom.

"Hey, Mikuru. Just in time." Ricchan said. "Quick question. Between the six of us, who's the girliest?"

"Th-The girliest?" Miku-chan went silent for a bit. "I-Is that not Akiyama-senpai?"

"_Aw, come on! You too, Mikuru-san?!_" Mio-chan whined.

"S-Sorry, Akiyama-senpai. I-It's just when I first met you, y-you gave off this girly vibe. Th-Thinking about it, it kinda balances out Taiknaka-senpai's boyish aura."

"W-Wait, what?" Ricchan asked. But was ignored.

"Wh-Why such the random question?"

"We've just been invited to perform at a music festival over in Okinawa for Golden Week." Azu-nyan said.

"O-Okinawa? W-Wow, that sounds like fun."

"Yeah, it does." Ricchan said. "But we've already hit a problem."

"Pr-Problem?"

"Mugi's parents are going to be over there and the relationship between Mugi and her father is still very much strained."

"But then I came up with the idea to disguise Mugi-chan so that they won't recognize her." I said. "And we just asked Mio-chan to do it since she's the expert with all that girly stuff."

"_B-But I'm not…_" Mio-chan whined in a sad girly tone.

"And that's why I asked which one of us is the girliest." Ricchan ended the explanation.

"I-I see." Miku-chan said. "W-Well…I-I do know someone that could help."

"Really?" We all asked.

"Sh-She is studying…a-at the Tokyo Design Academy in…H-Harajuku. S-So, she has a bunch of…e-experience."

"Woah, really?" How do you know this person?" Mugi-chan asked.

"Sh-She is my…st-step-cousin. M-My uncle married her aunt."

"Wow. I didn't know that." Miharu-chan said.

"I-It was only recently. M-Maybe about…th-three months before you moved to Japan, Miharu-san."

"I see."

"Do you think you can get your step-cousin to come help us out, Mikuru?" Ricchan asked.

"I-I guess. I-I mean, she just started last month. I-It would have to be whenever she is off from class."

"Sounds fine to me. What about you girls?"

"I'm in." I said.

"Why not?" Azu-nyan said.

"I'm kinda curious to see what Japanese fashion is like." Miharu-chan said.

"_At least I can get rid of this girly trait now…_" Mio-chan said to herself.

We all then turned to Mugi-chan, who hasn't really said much about the idea.

"Well…I still have doubts about this. But I guess I could give it a try. Thank you for helping us, Mikuru-chan."

"Y-You're welcome. K-Kotobuki-san. I-I must be going now. I-I promised Mother I would be home early today."

"Okay. See you soon."

"Later, Mikuru." Both Mugi-chan and Miharu-chan said as Miku-chan left the clubroom.

"Well, now." Ricchan said. "Since we now have a plan…**Let's celebrate us performing in Okinawa!**"

"**Kanpai to Okinawa!**" I cheered as I held up my cup of tea. And soon, the others joined me.

"**Kanpai!**"

…

…

…

"Uh…yay?"

"Oh sorry, Miharu-chan." I said to her confused face. "We were speaking Japanese for a second there."

"Oh. I see."

"You know, now I'm curious. How do you say cheers in French?"

"Well…in French it's "**À votre santé!**". But we mostly just use the Italian word."

"_Ooh~._ What's it like in Italian?"

"Well…whenever we congratulate someone or something, we go "**To Your Heath!**". Or, just the Italian word, "**Chin-chin!**"."

It was at this point where everyone else nearly choked on either their tea or whatever they were eating. Each gained a huge blush on their faces as they stared at Miharu-chan.

"What with the reactions?"

"**Th-That's SERIOUSLY the Italian word?!**" Ricchan yelled.

"Yeah. It's a lot simpler than saying "À votre santé!" all the time."

"**H-How can you guys just SAY that so freaking casually?!**" Mio-chan yelled.

"Like I said. It means "To your health". It's a very nice compliment."

"**NOT IN JAPAN, YOU FOREIGN AIRHEAD!**" Ricchan, Mio-chan, and Azu-nyan yelled. Still with the blushed faces.

"I don't get it. How is saying "Chin-chin" bad?" I asked.

"I'm just as lost as you are, Yui." Miharu-chan said.

"Seriously?" The trio gained a sweatdrop.

"Um…guys." Mugi-chan said to us both. "You _**really**_ shouldn't say that word in Japan. Especially you, Miharu."

"Huh? Why?" We asked.

"W-Well…y-you see, it means…" Mugi-chan then got closer to us and whispered the meaning into our ears. When she was done, I immediately grew a blush of my own. Completely embarrassed for saying such a word so casually."

"I-I-I-I-I-I-It means…**THAT?!**" I yelled.

"Y-Yes. I-It does."

"Wow." Miharu-chan said. "Now who would've thought that saying "Chin-chin" in Japan means you're simply shouting out pen…"

***PINCH***

"**Gah!**"

"I think we're going to head home now. See you girls tomorrow." Mugi-chan said with a smile as she grabbed Miharu-chan by the ear. She was now walked towards the door while dragging her half-sister by that same ear.

"_**O-Ow! Mugi! M-My ear!**_"

"Miharu. You and I need to have a long talk about Japanese morals."

"_**M-Mugi, please! My ear! It hurts so freaking bad~!**_" We could Miharu-chan's whines of pain even from the hallway outside. It must _**really**_ hurt if she's crying that loudly.

…

…

…

…

"O-Okay. New goal. Before we leave for Okinawa, we are teaching Miharu how to speak Japanese."

"Noted." We all agreed with Mio-chan.

_**Author's Note:**_** A surprise trip to Okinawa for Golden Week has all of the Tea Time girls excited. But once they learn from Mugi that her estranged father will be there, they must now think of a way to bring her along without causing more conflict.**

**It took me a while to figure out how EXACTLY Golden Week works. There's like 2-3 days in between two of the holidays and then there was other complicated stuff. But I did the best that I could.**

**This year's Golden Week really is 10 days long. It's said to be a "one-of-a-kind" Golden Week. So, it probably won't happen again.**

**So, about the p*nis joke at the end. In Italy and France, Chin-chin is actually spelled "cin-cin" and it really does mean "to your health" or "cheers". I just spelled it like that so the joke would be better understood. Because "cin-cin" just looks like "sin-sin" when you're reading it.**

**Next chapter will have a guest character appear. I know I said Sumire was the last one. But this is just a temporary addition. Will not stay the entire story.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	20. The Rich Girl's New Look

**Chapter 20 – The Rich Girl's New Look**

**Mugi's POV**

"So. Today's the day. You ready for your new look, Mugi?"

"Um…I'm still not sure about this, Miharu." I said with a nervous tone. "Some stranger changing up how I normally look doesn't sound all that pleasant."

"Come on. You want to go to that…Octowa place with everyone, right? This is basically our only option."

"Okay, one. It's _**Okinawa**_. And two. I don't feel right deceiving my parents like this. I am still loyal to them. S-Sort of."

"Well, to be completely fair, Mugi. When you think about everything that's happened thus far…this is sort of like payback."

"Everything?" I then thought for a moment of everything that's happened since meeting Miharu.

_Meeting Miharu…_

_Finding out that we're half-sisters…_

_Learning of our parent's…uh…sp-special rendezvouses…_

_Fighting with my father and getting kicked out because I refuse to leave Miharu…_

_This sheer sense of loneliness I get so often…_

…

…

…

"Yeah…Yeah, you have a point, Miharu. After what we've been through together, this is totally like payback." I gained a serious smile.

"_***giggle***_ See, I told you. We'll get back at them together. Us two half-sisters."

_***sigh***__ Miharu. You always know how to cheer me up. Like any sister would._

"You know…speaking of which…" I turned around with a sour look on my face. "Why are the rest of you here?"

"What?! How rude of you, Mugi!" Ricchan yelled. "You really think I'm gonna miss you getting a makeover?!"

"A make-up designer working on Mugi-chan's face and clothes…I wonder if they'll be cute?" Yui-chan asked.

"Who knows. Mugi looking cute is an expert challenge on its own."

"Yeah, true."

_And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?!_ I was truly offended by such a claim.

"I was staying no matter what. Miharu-senpai invited me to spend the night here." Azusa-chan said.

"W-Well, I was just curious." Mio-chan said with a little nervousness. "Mugi getting a makeover did pique my interest a little."

"You just hoping you could get a few pointers from the designer for your own wardrobe." Ricchan said to her.

"**I-I am not! I-I am strictly here for club purposes!**"

"_Right…_" Ricchan didn't believe her.

"Well, I for one, came because I still believe this is a bad idea, Ojōsama." Sumire said. "Changing your appearance to deceive your parents is extremely improper."

"Oh, come on…Sunair. We're doing this for Mugi's sake. Don't you care about her and her happiness?" Miharu asked.

"I do not need you of all people to ask me such a question. **And my name is Sumire! If I have to get used to you being around my Ojōsama, then at freaking least…**"

"Sumire…" I said to her with a stern look.

"_***sigh***_ Just…please try to remember my name. M…Miharu-Ojōsama."

"Yeah, sure thing, uh…Sundare."

"Tch! _Grr…_"

_The one-sided hatred is still going strong…_

"So, how long do we have to wait for this person?" Ricchan asked.

"Mikuru said that she'll be here in like a few minutes or so." Miharu said. "She and Yoriko went to the store. So, Mugi and I have to look out for her."

"Do you know what she looks like?" Azusa-chan asked.

"Not much. But seeing as how Mikuru knows her, I'm guessing that she's about the same height as her."

"The same height as Mikuru? Geez, and she's a college student?"

***POW***

"Ow! The hell, Mio?!" Ricchan yelled after getting hit in the head.

"You know why the hell. Don't discriminate against people for being short."

"I'm not discriminating. I'm just saying. When you think of a college student, they're usually tall, right? I mean, just look at me. I'm tall. At least for my age."

"Oui, mais vas-tu même arriver au collège?"

"_Ooh._ Burn. Nice one, Azusa." Miharu said.

"_***giggle***_ Thanks, Senpai."

"_And just what the hell did you just say?_" Ricchan turned to Azusa with a pissed off look. Giving Azusa-chan the chills.

"U-Uh…w-well…"

"Hello? Anyone here?"

"Hey, that must be her." Miharu said.

"_***sigh* **__Je suis sauvé._" Azusa-chan looked relieved. But the same can't really be said about me at this moment.

_***sigh***__ Let's just get this over with._

* * *

Miharu and I went out to the hotel lobby to meet up with this art-designer that is apparently related by law to Tamura-san and Mikuru-chan. We saw a girl, kinda short, with long black hair and wearing a white cotton shirt with a violet floral design, black capri jeans, and a pair of grey & white shoes. She also had a bandage on her right hand. Which kinda made me worry about this even more.

_Did she…get that injury because of the art she does? Just what am I getting myself into?_

"Excuse me." Miharu called out. "You're the college art student from…Horojacko, right?"

"H-Horojacko?" The girl gained a sweatdrop. "Uh…yeah, I guess. You're…Miharu, right?"

"Yep. That's me. Thanks for coming and such."

As Miharu was talking with the girl, I stood there in shock as to who this girl was. I really didn't expect this "art designer student" to be her. Nor, did I think she would actually come here.

And more importantly…

_Wh-What happened to her voice? Since when was it so…girly and monotoned?_

"M…Matsumoto-senpai?"

"Mugi? What are you doing here?"

"Wait, you two know each other?" Miharu asked.

"This is Rise Matsumoto. She's the senpai of a group of friends that we know of."

"Really now? Small world, I guess."

"Who's this girl, Mugi? A friend of yours?" Matsumoto-senpai asked.

"Um…well…uh…"

_***sigh***__ Might as well…_

"…Th-This is Miharu Neroni. M-My half-sister."

"Half-sister? How did that happen?"

"I-It's a long story." We both gained a sweatdrop.

"Huh." Was all Matsumoto-senpai said.

"So, um…senpai. What happened to your voice?" I asked. "It's a lot…louder now."

"Louder?" Miharu was confused.

"Matsumoto-senpai was known to always be whispering. To the point where only a few people could hear what she's saying."

"Really? How come?" Miharu then asked Matsumoto-senpai.

"O-Oh, that. Well, you see…"

"Hey. Are you two done out here, yet?" We heard Ricchan's voice as she and the others came out after us. Probably because we were taking too long.

"Hey, everyone. Looks who's here. Apparently." I said while pointing towards Matsumoto-senpai.

"W-Wait, huh?"

"Matsumoto-senpai?" Mio-chan and Azusa-chan asked.

"_Ooh!_ We are in a crossover story! Exciting!" Yui-chan cheered. Breaking the 4th wall in the process.

"_Not you too, Yui._" Mio-chan facepalmed.

"Wait, you're **ALL** here?" Matsumoto-senpai asked. "Did you girls move into a hotel or something?"

"No, it's just us two. We live here." Miharu said as she pointed to both herself and I.

"That's still weird. But I guess I'll let it sly for now."

"You're calling **THAT** weird? Senpai, what happened to your voice?" Mio-chan asked.

"O-Oh, um…that's a long story. To put it in layman's terms, it was a "life-changing experience" of sorts."

"I see…"

"I like your new voice, Senpai." Yui-chan said. "It sounds so spooky and mysterious. Almost like a ghost girl."

"My friend Iyo keeps saying the same thing…" Matsumoto-senpai gained a sweatdrop.

"So, this is a random surprise. Whatcha doing here, Senpai?" Ricchan asked.

"Uh, guys." I said. "I think she's the…"

"We're back, girls." Then came Tamura-san and Mikuru-chan carrying a bunch of groceries.

"O-Oh. Y-You are…M-Matsumoto-san, correct? My step-cousin's friend?"

"**Huh? Step-cousin's friend?!**" We all shouted.

"W-Wait, so…Matsumoto-senpai is not your step-cousin, Mikuru-chan?" I asked.

"N-No. I-I only just met her recently."

"So, you're not a college art student from…Hohobaro?" Miharu asked Matsumoto-senpai.

"Hohobaro?"

"She's a foreigner." Mio-chan said.

"I see. Well, I am a college art student from _**Harajuku**_. But I'm not Mikuru-san's step-cousin. I tagged along with her because she's never been down here before."

"Oh, I see. So, where is she then?" Ricchan asked.

"Wow! For a small hotel, this place has some fancy-like bathrooms. Rise, you gotta check this out." As Ricchan had asked that, a girl with ice-blue hair in such a style where the back is a long ponytail and the front is made to where it covers her right eye. And crystal-like eyes that really took a shine in direct sunlight.

She wore a light-blue jacket over a plain white t-shirt, gray pants, and a pair of white sneakers. All of it looked brand-new to me.

_Could this person be…_

"Not now, Iyo. Your step-aunt is back."

"Huh?" Most of us asked.

"**THIS** is my step-niece." Tamura-san said. "Her name is Iyo Mitsui."

"We've been friends since our first year of high school and we go to college together." Matsumoto-senpai added.

"_Oh…_" We all said. Finally understanding what was going on.

"So, these are those band girls you were talking about?" The girl named Iyo asked. "They look pretty normal compared to some of our friends."

"Seeing as how you live in Takaoka and know _**those**_ girls, I'll take that as a compliment." Mio-chan said.

"_**Those**_ girls?" Miharu asked me.

"I'll explain later."

"So, you will be the girl redesigning my Ojōsama?" Sumire asked. "Let me make it clear…make one mistake on her and I will have no choice but to…"

"Yo. Sumoomoo. Calm down already." Miharu said.

"**H-How in the hell did you get Sumoomoo?!**"

"Well, your name's hard to pronounce for me. You can't really blame me for getting it wrong every single time."

"_Why you…_"

"_***snicker***__ Sumoomoo…_" Yui-chan laughed to herself.

"_I know right? __***giggle***_" Ricchan added.

Sumire then turned to both girls with an extremely pissed off look and the two instantly gained a chill in their spines.

"These girls are pretty random, don't you think?" Iyo-san asked Matsumoto-senpai.

"Not as random as some of our friends…" Matsumoto-senpai gained a sweatdrop.

"So, anyway. Who's the girl wanting a new look?"

"Um…that would be me, Iyo-san." I said while raising my hand. "I'm Tsumugi Kotobuki."

"Hmm…"Iyo-san took a quick look at me. "…do you really need a makeover, Tsumugi-san? I mean, looking at you…you got nice long blonde hair, shiny blue eyes, skin tone's pretty good and your breasts are pretty damn impressive."

"Who freaking cares about her breasts?" Matsumoto-senpai asked.

"And of course **you** would ask that, Rise."

"_The hell's that supposed to mean?_"

"Anyway…" Matsumoto-senpai was flat out ignored. "…you look like one of the last people to ever need one, Tsumugi-san. Why change up what you already got?"

"W-Well…I-I actually have a pretty good reason to. A long one, too."

Both girls gained a confused look on their faces as I grew a sad one on mine. Knowing that I would have to explain what brought me to this point in my life to want to change my look.

And it was going to be one hell of a ride.

* * *

***LATER…***

"Wow. That's pretty deep." Iyo-san said as we were all (minus Sumire. She went with Mikuru-chan to get away from Miharu) back in our room.

"So, what I'm getting at is…" Matsumoto-senpai said. "…Mugi and Miharu are half-related to each other…"

"Yep." Ricchan answered.

"…And a fight between Mugi and her father led to her being kicked out of her place and she's been living here ever since…"

"Yep." Mio-chan answered.

"…So now, six months later, you girls got invited to perform at a music festival for Golden Week…"

"Yep." Yui-chan answered.

"…But then Mugi said that her now estranged parents are going to be there. And you all came up with the idea to put her in a disguise to avoid any more conflict. Is that it?"

"Pretty much." Azusa-chan answered.

"Geez. What a crazy story. Probably the craziest I've heard."

"Eh. I don't know, Rise." Iyo-san said. "I still think you taking down a corrupt government, crooked police, and a sociopathic boy who had a huge grudge against you, to the point where he wanted to kill you, with nothing but an iron baseball bat is **FAR** more crazy than this."

"**Wh-What the hell?!**" The five of us that knew Matsumoto-senpai the most stared at her with a huge look of shock on each of our faces.

"I-It's a really long story. K-Kinda complicated." Matsumoto-senpai said nervously.

"Damn. Japan's got some badass people." Miharu said.

"_Where is your sense of shock?_" Mio-chan asked her with a sweatdrop.

"A-Anyway…" Ricchan said. "…That's why we asked Mikuru for your help. Think you can help us out, Iyo-san?"

"Sure. I got a few ideas in mind that could work. Hair, eyes, make-up…I could even give you a few facial scars if you want."

"F-Facial scars?!" I panicked.

"Don't worry. They're fake. But I can paint them to make them look totally real. Like this one time around Halloween last year, I gave one of our old kōhais a very detailed broken eye. One of my best works yet."

"I still think it's questionable." Matsumoto-senpai said with an exasperated tone.

"Wait, do you mean…are you the one who pained that "eye" on Akari's face?"

"That "eye"?" The five of us seniors asked Azusa-chan.

"Akari sent me a picture of a fake eye painted over where her left eye used to be. It looked so real that I was truly pissed when she explained it was fake. I digitally flipped her off for that."

_Azusa-chan flipping people off? That's new._

"You still have that picture? Let me see." Ricchan said.

"Do you really want to see it?"

"Come on. It'll give us a better idea on what Mugi would look like after this."

"Yeah, but…_***sigh***_ Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you, though." Azusa-chan then took out her phone and pulled up the picture Akari-chan had sent her.

Once we saw it…

"_**KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_" Mio-chan screamed in fear.

"_H-Holy crap…_" Ricchan said in shock.

"_Th-That's…t-terrifying._" Yui-chan said in the same tone.

"_I-It looks so real that I could puke._" Miharu said. Again, with the same tone as the previous three.

"_What have I gotten myself into?_" I asked myself. Starting to regret agreeing to this idea in the first place.

"I told you." Azusa-chan said as she put her phone away.

"So. Ready to start?" Iyo-san asked.

"W-W-W-Wait a second!" I yelled. "I-I-I'm highly against any disturbing features being added on to me! I-If this is all you can do, then…"

"Don't worry, Mugi." Matsumoto-senpai said. "I'll watch over Iyo to make sure her love for horror doesn't clog up her sense of reasonable thinking."

"I don't need to be babysat, Rise."

"Please. After what you did with Akari, I feel like I gotta point a camera at you just to make sure you don't make people look like they belong in The House of the Dead."

"I don't go _**that**_ far…s-sometimes."

_Sometimes?_

"_Right…_" Matsumoto-senpai clearly didn't believe her.

"M-Mugi, do you still…w-want to do this?" Mio-chan asked while still recovering from the picture.

"Well…I really want to go to Okinawa. And if I want that to happen, then I really don't have a choice. Let's just get this over with."

"You're rather brave for doing this, Mugi-senpai." Azusa-chan said.

"Yeah, no kidding." Ricchan said. "After seeing that picture, there was no way in hell I would've done it."

"Well, I'm not only doing this for myself. I'm also doing this for Miharu. Right, Miharu?"

"You play The House of the Dead? I **LOVE** that game!"

"Right?! I love the exhilaration you get from headshot-ing zombies and surviving mutated monstrosities! It's so freaking fun!"

"Damn right, it is! I play whenever I can!"

"So do I! I'm even trying to beat my high score! Such a tedious thing to do."

"I can _**so**_ relate."

Miharu and Iyo-san were deep into a conversation about that thing Matsumoto-senpai had brought up. And both had completely ignored what the rest of us had said.

"Yep. I'm so freaking screwed." I said with an exasperated sweatdrop.

* * *

***2 HOURS LATER…***

"_One more spot…and…_**THERE!** All done!"

"Really? You sure took a while." I said to Iyo-san.

"Art takes time, Tsumugi-san. Whether it be on a piece of paper or somebody's face. You can't ever rush it."

"I see." I then turned to face the other girls. "W-Well…h-how do I look?"

…

…

…

"W-Wow…M-Mugi…" Ricchan said after a brief silence.

"Wh-What? D-Do I look bad?"

"N-No, not at all." Mio-chan said. "I-It's just…wow."

"Wow? Wh-What does "wow" mean?"

"W-Well, um…s-say something, Senpai." Azusa-chan said to Miharu.

"M-Me? Well, um…if you and I weren't sisters, I'd totally date you."

"**Wh-What does that have to do with how I look right now?!**" I asked with a full blush on my face.

"Uh…guys. Can't we just give her the mirror now?" Yui-chan asked. Surprisingly the calmest out of the five.

"Thank you, Yui-chan." I said as I took the mirror from her. Now finally taking a look at myself, I can easily see why the others were near speechless.

My hair looked lighter than its usually blonde color and was tied up in a ponytail. A style I don't normally make with it unless I'm taking a bath. And my eyes were no longer blue and instead a reddish-orange color.

I honestly couldn't believe what I was looking at. I wasn't even sure if it was still me. I look like a completely different person.

…

Then again…that was the whole point of this, wasn't it?

"W-Wow…Iyo-san…"

"**Eeek! O-Ojōsama?!**" Sumire yelled in a panic as she rushed up to me. "**Ojōsama, what has she done to you?! This is a travesty on its own right!**"

"Sumire-san. Please calm down." Mikuru-chan said as she joined us in the room.

"Um…Iyo-san?" I asked as I looked at the mirror again.

"You like? It took a while for me to change you up while still be recognizable. I did the best that I could."

"S-So…th-the hair?"

"I put a little bleach in it to make it lighter. Had to wash it a few times. Making it the most difficult to change."

"I see. And the eyes?"

"They're contact lenses that I got from a friend of ours. They apparently were discontinued because they change your eye color once you put them in."

"If they were discontinued, then how did you get a pair?" Yui-chan asked.

"This friend of ours can _**really**_ pull some strings." Matsumoto-senpai said. "He's a real crafty one."

"Uh…"

"Anyway." Iyo-san continued. "I didn't do much to your skin tone since that's way out of my control. But I did give you something under your shirt."

"Under…my shirt?" I honestly didn't want to check with everyone here. But the thought was spamming my mind so much that I mentally said "screw it" and lifted my shirt.

And it was there, on the left side of my stomach, that I saw…

"**Eeek! O-Ojōsama! Y-You have a tattoo!**" Sumire yelled as she was beyond panicked.

"_S-Sumire-san, please! I-I cannot breathe!_" Case in point, she was squeezing Mikuru-chan with such force.

"Woah! Sick tattoo, Mugi! I wish I had one like that!" Ricchan said as she stared at this weird heart-shaped design that was now on my body.

"I-Iyo-san…pl-please tell me…" I nervously asked.

"It's not real."

"_Oh, thank God._" Sumire and I sighed with relief.

"It isn't real?" Ricchan asked. "But it looks so…well, the opposite."

"I drew the design and then Iyo painted it." Matsumoto-senpai said. "We did a similar thing as a class assignment at the college just recently. Only difference is that we didn't use an actual body to paint it on."

"Wow. Even after hearing all of that, I still can mistakenly think that it's real." Yui-chan said.

"It's truly nice art." Mio-chan said. "That school must be teach you rather well, Senpai."

"_***sigh***_ Even I must admit. It is pretty good. Very well-detailed." Sumire said.

"At least it's not as disturbing as Akari's "eye"." Azusa-chan said. "In fact, it's rather cute-looking."

"You know, Mugi." Miharu said. "With this new look of yours, we look less like sisters now. Saying that we are is going to be even harder now."

…

…

…

"_***giggle* **_Oh, yeah. I guess it will be harder now." I said with a smile. "Thank you both again for doing this for me, Matsumoto-senpai and Iyo-san. You really helped me out with my current situation."

"You're welcome, Mugi." Matsumoto-senpai said. "We're glad that we can help. Right, Iyo?"

"Yeah, it was no problem at all." Iyo-san said. "But now that it's all over with, I've been meaning to ask something."

"Huh?" We were confused.

"Miharu, you said that you were from France, right? What city is it, exactly?"

"What city? I lived in a small town outside of Paris named Sceaux."

"S-Seriously?" Matsumoto-senpai asked in shock.

"Just like…Hey, Miharu. Do you happen to know two girls named Ariana Chéry and Madeline Richelieu?"

"Ariana Chéry? Madeline Richelieu?" Miharu went silent for a bit. "Now that I think about it, those names do sound familiar. Though, I'm not entirely sure why. Sorry if that didn't really help."

"Nah, it's fine. We'll just ask them if they heard of your name. The fact that we know three people from France kinda sparked that question."

"I see."

_Well, now I'm curious about it. Miharu hasn't really told me much about her life before her mom died._

"Well, Mugi." Ricchan said as she scooted up to me. "With this new look of yours, you think you can come to Okinawa with us?"

"It wouldn't be the same without you, Mugi-chan." Yui-chan added.

"The two are right. You not being there wouldn't be as fun." Mio-chan said.

"I would love to be in Okinawa with you, Mugi-senpai." Azusa-chan said.

"So, Mugi. What do you think?" Miharu asked.

"Well…" I looked at my new self with the mirror once more. Looking over my bleached blonde hair, reddish-orange eyes, and heart-shaped "tattoo". I look almost nothing like my old self. A change that, now that it actually happened, feels like it should've happened a long time ago. I feel…kinda reborn now. Like it's a fresh new start for me after years of living in solitude and stereotypes and such.

"Ladies…let us prepare for our trip."

"**YEAH!**"

And it felt…completely perfect.

_**Author's Note:**_** Sorry for the wait with this one. I was writing other stories and taking a bunch of days off and I just lost track of time. It happens.**

**Here are the guest characters I was talking about. Rise Matsumoto and Iyo Mitsui from my Yuru Yuri stories (the latter being an OC). It was originally just going to be Rise. But I included Iyo because it worked out more in my head. As I said before, these two are temporary. They will not appear in the next chapter or the rest of the story.**

**Speaking of which, the next chapter won't be for a while. As this story is going on a break. I want to continue working on a few new stories and I'll need time to work on them. Hope you understand.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	21. Learning Your Half-Native Language

**Chapter 21 – Learning Your Half-Native Language**

**Nodoka's POV**

"_Ugh…my head. This is too damn much. I want to stop._"

"Come on, Miharu-san. You can't stop now." I said to her as she fell back-first on the floor.

"But Nodoka! This crap is infuriating and confusing! I don't get how these tiny-ass scribbles are a freaking language!"

"They're not _**that**_ tiny…" I gained a sweatdrop.

This particular Sunday was not a normal day for me. I've been tasked to help teach Miharu-san how to speak Japanese before she and the other Light Music Club members head out for Okinawa. I honestly don't get why me of all people. I'm still just as confused now as I was that Wednesday morning.

***WEDNESDAY…***

"You want me to help teach Miharu-san Japanese?"

"I know this sounds sudden, Nodoka-senpai…" Azusa-san said to me. "…But we're leaving for Okinawa next week and Miharu-senpai has proven time and time again that her lack of Japanese is a dangerous thing."

_R-Right. Yui did tell me about the mistranslation thing earlier…_

"But why not ask the other members?"

"_***sigh***_ Well, to be completely honest…I have high doubts that they would be of any help. The four of them aren't really the productive type. Learning from past experiences."

"I-I see…" I gained a sweatdrop. Knowing that statement is true with at least Yui. From past experiences.

"Well, even if you make that point, Azusa-san…I can't possibly do such a thing on my own."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll help, too. After all, she is my…m-my…m-m-my…_g-girl…friend…_" Azusa-san then started blushing.

"You're still not used to that?"

"G-Give me a break. S-Six months ago, the possibility of being a lesbian never crossed my mind."

"That's true."

_A lot of things seemed to have changed since Miharu-san moved here…_

"Manabe-san."

"Oh. Good morning, Tachibana-san." I greeted the classmate as she walked up to us.

"Oh hello, uh…Nakano-san, was it? What are you two talking about?"

"I was just asking Nodoka-senpai if she could help teach Miharu-san Japanese."

"Oh, really? Well, I can help out with that."

"S-Seriously?" We both asked in shock.

"Sure, I don't mind. Hirasawa-san struggles with Japanese herself sometimes and often asks me for help. So, I have some tutoring experience from that."

"_How does a Japanese girl struggle with Japanese?_" Azusa-san mumbled to herself.

"Wow, okay then. Thank you, Tachibana-san." I was still shocked that someone was willing to volunteer in helping us teach a foreigner Japanese. I still don't understand why Azusa-san thought I would be the best for this job. But I guess I'm just helping out a friend.

"By the way, Tachibana-san. Did you need anything from me?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Hirasawa-san…sent me this text last night and I was hoping you knew what it meant. You know…since you're her childhood friend and all."

"Okay…let me see."

Tachibana-san pulled up the text she got from Yui and…well…even after reading it multiple times, I had no idea what it was supposed to mean.

""Sometimes, you have to just walk your potato. Because it might just be the only thing there."? What?"

"Walk your…potato?" Azusa-san was just as confused as I was.

"I was looking for spiritual quotes to use for an upcoming paper and Hirasawa-san suggested that. Though, I have no idea what it means."

"Uh…I see." I said. "Well, sorry, Tachibana-san. I don't…really understand it myself."

"Oh. Okay, then." Tachibana-san then turned to the classroom. "No dice. She doesn't know."

"_Aw, man._" The rest of the class whined.

"Wait, did she send that quote to the **ENTIRE** class?!"

"She posted it onto the class chat room and it's been bugging us all throughout the night. Hence why I asked you."

"Yui-senpai. You are truly something else." Azusa-san said with a facepalm.

"I second that, Azusa-san. I really do." I said with a bigger facepalm of my own. Probably big enough to break the glasses on my face.

_Just what goes on in that head of hers? I really want to know._

***PRESENT TIME***

And so, here we are. And by "we", I mean myself, Miharu-san, Azusa-san, and Tachibana-san. All gathered up at my house on a late Sunday morning reading through a bunch of workbooks on how to speak Japanese.

_Well, it's not like I had anything else to do. Plus, I am helping out a friend with…_

"Geez, Nodoka. You sure have a lot of pictures of you and Yui on here. Heh. You kinda look like a dork in this one."

"Wh-What the? **G-Get off my phone!**" I yelled as I snatched my phone out of Miharu-san's hands. "H-How did you guess my security code, anyway?!"

"I just looked at you and thought of the numbers that fit you personally. 12261991."

"Th…Th-That's my birthday!"

"Seriously?"

"Yes. December 26, 1991. I can't believe you guessed that right just by looking at me. I'm honestly creeped out by that."

"So, you can pretty much guess what our birthdays are just by looking at us?" Azusa-san asked.

"I guess. I mean, I didn't know that Nodoka's security code was her birthday. That was just a lucky guess."

"Geez. Now I gotta change my password." I said in an exhausted tone.

"Okay, then. What are my special numbers?"

"Uh…" Miharu-san took one good look at Azusa-san before coming up with an answer. "…11111992."

"Wh-Why so many ones?" Tachibana-san asked.

"B-Because that's **MY** birthday." Azusa-san said. "November 11, 1992."

"Really now?" Miharu-san began laughing a little. "I guessed my girlfriend's birthday without any effort whatsoever. That's pretty badass, don't ya think?"

"W-Well, when you put it that way…" Azusa-san began to blush.

"Okay, now I'm curious. What are my numbers, Miharu-san?" Tachibana-san asked.

"Well…looking at you, Himeko, I'd say your numbers are…03171990."

"March 17, 1990…wait, a second. Tachibana-san…are you 19?" I asked.

"And in your third year of high school?" Azusa-san asked.

"_Hehhehheh. _I, uh…failed the third grade once." Tachibana-san rubbed the back of her head.

"Woah." We were all no doubt surprised.

"Lunch is ready, everyone." As that was going on, Ui came into the living room with a tray of food. Spending her time making lunch for us as we did this.

"Thanks, Ui." I said. "You know…you really didn't have to do this."

"It's okay, Nodoka-san. Onee-chan and the others are busy with a study session with Mio-senpai. So, I had nothing else to do."

"You didn't go over to Jun?" Azusa-san asked.

"She's with Mikuru-chan, oddly enough. The two went to go pick out a Mother's Day gift for Tamura-san."

"Oh. Well, that's nice of her." Tachibana-san said.

"I guess. But why did she ask Jun? She isn't exactly the best choice for gift-giving advice."

"I'm not entirely sure myself, Azusa-chan."

"_***sigh***__ So, that's what Mikuru was doing. No wonder she didn't tell me…_"

"Huh? Did you say something, Miharu-san?" I asked.

"Huh? O-Oh, no. I-I was just…t-talking to myself. Y-Yeah, that's it. Nothing to, um…w-worry about." She then sighed again.

"You sound sad, Miharu-san. Is something bothering you?" Tachibana-san asked.

"N-No. I'm fine."

"You don't really sound like it, Senpai." Ui said.

"I-I'm fine. Really, I am. Let's just…get back to this Japanese thing."

"Um…okay, then. If you say so." I was still pretty positive that Miharu-san was upset about something. But I didn't pursue much further. I'm not the type of person to interrogate people until they give in.

…

Despite what Yui says.

* * *

About two hours later, we decided to take another break. Miharu-san was slowly getting used to speaking Japanese. Only getting out one word at a time. But it's something. Considering that she knew absolutely nothing earlier this morning.

But there was a reason why we decided to stop. Miharu-san's depressed aura was getting the best of us. Something was clearly bothering her. And as her friend and student council president, it felt like my duty to help her.

…

Though, talking to her directly was going to get us nowhere. So, as she was in the bathroom, I went with the next best current thing.

"You think I know what's wrong with Miharu-senpai?"

"Well, you are her girlfriend, Azusa-san." I said to her. "Other than Mugi, you're the only person to be with her a lot."

"She must've told you something, Azusa-chan." Ui said. "Maybe something about herself is making her upset."

"W-Well…" Azusa-san went silent for a bit. "…sh-she did tell me a few things. Back during the welcome party. But I promised her that wouldn't tell anyone. She doesn't want anyone to know…yet."

"Yet?" We asked.

"She wants to tell…but at the same time, she doesn't. It's kinda complicated for her."

"Hmm…I see." I said. "Guess I should've known this wouldn't be easy."

"What wouldn't be easy?"

"Gah! M-Miharu-san!" I panicked as she spoke up behind me. "W-We were just uh…"

"_***sigh***_ It's fine, Nodoka. I heard enough."

"How much did you hear?" Tachibana-san asked.

"I heard Azusa explain that she promised to not tell anyone. That's about it."

"I'm sorry, Miharu-san." I said. "It's just…something was clearly bothering you and it was starting to become noticeable."

"Extremely noticeable." Ui added.

"_***sigh* **__Bon sang._ I really suck at keeping my emotions to myself."

"Senpai…" Azusa-san said in a worried tone.

"No, it's fine, Azusa. I guess I can explain it a little."

_Explain? Sh-She's actually going to tell us? We weren't going to force her or anything, but…maybe now we can try to help her in some way._

"Well, first off…I'm sure that Azusa already told you that I told her back at the welcome party, right?"

"Yes." The three of us replied.

"Well…other than her, Mugi, Mikuru, and Yoriko, I've kept this a secret until now. The reason why I moved to Japan."

"There's a reason?" Ui asked.

"Yeah, there is. And that reason being…m…m-my mom."

"Your mom?"

"She was born here. And spent most of her life here. She even went to Sakuragaoka when she was my age."

"Wow. That's pretty cool, Miharu-san." Tachibana-san said.

"But…why are you living with Tamura-san and not your mother?" I asked.

"W-Well…th-that's because…my mother…died. Before I moved here, to be exact."

"O-Oh. I-I see…" Now I felt really bad for asking.

"Like with most people, my mom was everything to me. Every night before going to bed, she would tell me stories of her life here in Japan. Her school life, what my grandparents were like, all the places she went to, all the things she did…she even explained how she met Yoriko. And that one's my personal favorite." Miharu-san then giggled a little.

"Whoa…" We all said.

"But the main part is…before she died, she told me that one day she would take me on a trip here. As it was always a dream of hers to have me experience the Japanese lifestyle. But then she got sick. And never got the chance. So, I convinced my dad to let me fulfill that dream. My mom's final wish. And so, here I am. A mostly French girl living in Japan. Kinda cliché, huh?"

"Cliché? Senpai, that's a really good thing you're doing." Azusa-san said to her girlfriend.

"You're just saying that because you're my girlfriend."

"She's right, Miharu-senpai." Ui said. "It's really sweet that you're fulfilling your late mother's final wish."

"Most people would be too depressed to do such a thing." Tachibana-san added.

"Well, I admit. I was depressed about it for a little while. I mean, who wouldn't be? One of your parents died of an incurable illness without ever making their dreams come true. It freaking hurts a lot."

Miharu-san then sat down and leaned her head on the table in a depressed position. Letting out another sigh before continuing.

"None of this was ever on my mind. At least, not to this extent. But when Ui said that Jun was helping Mikuru look for a Mother's Day gift for Yoriko…"

"Oh…I get it now. This is going to be your first Mother's Day without your mom, huh?" I asked. To which, Miharu-san replied with a simple depressed nod.

"I see. So, that's the reason." Ui said. Feeling guilty for bringing that fact up so nonchalantly before.

"Don't feel bad about it, Ui. I'm sure a lot of people are doing it now than at the last minute. It makes sense when you think about it."

_Even if you say that, Miharu-san…this isn't something you can just suppress within your mind so easily. I want to help…but I can't possibly relate to what you're going through. For one, both of my parents are still alive._

_If only there was a way…to help you somehow…_

"_I wish deatta kono basho de_

_Go fight inochi ga moeru made_

_I don't forget hateshinai tabi e_

_Promise to you chikai wa hitotsu ni_"

We all then stared at Miharu-san with huge looks of shock on our faces. Not believing what we just heard.

"Wh-What?"

"Wh-What did you just say?" I asked her.

"What, that? Those were lyrics to a song that my mom would sing to me often. Thinking of her made me think of that song. Why, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing's wrong. It's just…you were speaking Japanese just now."

"Huh? Really?"

"Well, there was some English there, too. It's kinda hard to tell."

"What's the next line of the song, Senpai?" Ui asked.

"Um, well…I think it went like…" Miharu-san went silent for a bit.

Then, like the last time…

"_Kanashimi no kazu dake kizuna ga musuba reru_

_Megami-sama ga oshiete kureta_"

"Th-That was full-on Japanese!"

"Was that really Japanese? I honestly had no idea what those words were. But I was always able to say them perfectly. Probably because Mom sang them to me a lot."

"You seriously couldn't tell that your **JAPANESE-BORN** mother was singing to you a **JAPANESE** song…**IN JAPANESE**?" Azusa-san asked in disbelief.

"M-My parents never taught me Japanese, okay? Lay off."

"Well…at least Miharu-san knows Japanese." Tachibana-san said. "To an extent."

"Yeah, but that "to an extent" part isn't going to help much in Okinawa." Azusa-san said.

"Hmm…" I thought for a moment as I keep this newly discovered trait of Miharu-san's in my head. I then gained an idea and started flipping through the pages of one of the workbooks. "Hey, Miharu-san. Try reciting this sentence but as a song."

"Huh? A song?"

"I have a theory. Maybe if you think of that song your mom used to sing to you, it will help you learn Japanese faster."

"Oh, I get it." Azusa-san said. "Give it a try, Senpai."

"Well…okay, I guess." Miharu-san read the sentence I picked out. Then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_I hope this works…_

"Mise ni ikimashita. Soshite pan o katta. Sugoku oishikattadesu."

"H-Holy crap! It worked!"

"M-Miharu-san actually spoke Japanese!" Tachibana-san said in the same shocked tone.

"I honestly just replaced the next line of the song with the sentence Nodoka picked out. I'm actually shocked myself."

"Well then, Miharu-san." I gained a confident grin as I pushed up my glasses. "If this strategy is the way to go, then we're going to abuse it as much as possible."

"A-Abuse?"

"Oh. Good idea, Nodoka-senpai." Azusa-san said. "Let's use this up until we can't no more, Miharu-senpai."

"G-Guys…" Miharu-san gained a sweatdrop.

"Ooh. It looks like you're in for a huge study session, Miharu-san." Tachibana-san said.

"Yes, indeed." Ui said. "I'll go prepare some more food for everyone."

"H-Himeko…U-Ui…"

"Come now, Miharu-san." I said.

"Time to cram like you've never crammed before, Senpai." Azusa-san added.

"B-But…_***sigh* **__Kuso ttare..._" Miharu-san swore in Japanese.

_Already making progress…_

* * *

***THE NEXT DAY…***

"Minasan, kon'nichiwa. Namae wa Neroni Miharu. Sakuragaoka no kōkō 3-nensei. Hajimemashite!"

"Holy crap…it's like she's fully Japanese!" Ritsu yelled in shock as I was showing the others the result of what I went through at Nodoka's house yesterday.

"I can't believe Nodoka-san actually got you to speak Japanese." Mio said. "And it's near perfect, too."

"And in only a day." Sawako added. "It makes my profession as a teacher look like crap."

"Wasn't it always crap?" Jun asked.

"_Watch it, you…_"

"Wowie. You really did a great job, Nodoka-chan." Yui praised her childhood friend.

"Thanks, Yui. Although, it was a difficult task, at first."

"M-Miharu-san speaking Japanese…th-that will be hard to get used to." Mikuru said.

"Yeah, no kidding." Jun said. "I'm so used to her swearing in French."

"I can still do that, you know. Want me to prove it?"

"We don't need you to prove it, Senpai." Azusa said to me.

"Hmph. Now that you can speak Japanese, maybe you can **finally** get my name right."

"Oh, yeah. Sure thing, uh…Tsumorru."

"**S-Seriously?! You speak THREE FREAKING LANGUAGES and yet, you STILL cannot get my name right?!**"

"What can I say? It's a really hard name."

"**No, it is not!**"

"Sumire. Please calm down." Mugi said to her. "_***sigh***_ Who would've thought that the both of us would go through changes before going to Okinawa? Pretty weird, huh?"

"Well, yeah. I guess. But your change was a suggestion. I was pretty much forced to learn Japanese."

"For a very good reason, thank you!" Mio yelled.

"Geez, Mio. Are you still mad about the **Chin-Chin **thing?"

"**A-Anyone would be mad with you saying it so freaking casually!**"

"_Eh bien, quelqu'un doit se faire baiser ..._"

(Well, someone needs to get laid...)

"Miharu…"

"Senpai…" Both Mugi and Azusa said with a facepalm.

"**Wh-What did she say?!**"

"U-Uh…n-nothing, Mio-senpai."

"Y-You don't really need to know, Mio-chan. Please calm down."

"Well, anyway." Ritsu said. "Now that Mugi's got her disguise and Miharu can speak Japanese, there's nothing stopping us from going to Okinawa now!"

"Yay! Tropical Island Time!" Yui cheered.

"Man, you guys are lucky." Jun said. "I sure as hell wish I can go to Okinawa."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Sawako asked.

"You said that your friend wanted to hear us out for a musical festival." Ritsu said. "You even gave me the tickets once I told you what we were doing."

"I did say that…but did you even count the tickets, Tainaka?"

"Count the tickets? Of course, I did." Ritsu then took the tickets out from her schoolbag and began counting them. "See? 1-2-3-4-5-6…wait…7-8-9-10-11-12?! **There are 6 extras tickets?!** **Where the hell did they come from?!**"

"R-Ricchan…I think you just counted each pair as one the first time." Yui said with a sweatdrop.

"S-So…we **ALL** can go to Okinawa?" Ui asked.

"You can't perform in a music festival without having friends cheer you on, after all." Sawako said with a light giggle.

"Al…**RIGHT! We're going to Okinawa!**" Jun definitely sounded happy about it."

"A trip to Okinawa Island…this is quite interesting." Nodoka said.

"I've never been to Okinawa. I'm so glad I get to experience it." Himeko said.

"_***moan***_ A-A place as big as Okinawa…I-I do not think I can…h-handle that…"

"Do not worry, Mikuru-san." Su…what's-her-face said to her. "I will be there to help you out."

"Th-Thank you…S-Sumire-san."

As everyone was chatting amongst each other about the sudden discovery, Mugi and I went into the hallway. Just to talk between the two of us.

"So, we're all going to Okinawa, huh?" I asked. "This is going to be a crazy as hell trip, ain't it?"

"_***giggle***_ Yep, it sure is. I can already feel it. And with your new language and my new look, I think we just raised the stakes to it all."

"Yeah." I went silent for a bit. "Hey, Mugi. I've…never really said this before, but…I'm really glad that I met you."

"I'm glad that I met you too, Miharu. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"_***giggle***_ Same here, Mugi. So, I guess we can agree on one good thing about our parent's weird and crazy sexcapades."

"I'm still highly disturbed by that…but, yes. I can agree that one good thing came out of it. My dear half-sister."

We then cheerfully hugged each other in pure happiness as we enjoyed this (when you think about it) messed-up situation that our parents had gotten us into. Neither one of us ever expecting the events that it brought us up until now.

"Love ya…Sis." I said.

"Love you too…Sis." Mugi said.

And you know…I really don't mind. Not a damn bit.

_**Author's Note:**_** Miharu learns Japanese! And just in time for the big trip to Okinawa, too. Now it's time for warm weather, sandy beaches, and the musical performance of a lifetime.**

**All in the final 10 chapters of The New Band Mate.**

**Yes, this story is coming to an end soon. It can't go on forever, as much as I want it to. But, hey…maybe I'll write more K-ON fics in the future. This one turned out to be a success (at least in my eyes).**

**I made Himeko older than the rest of the girls because, for one, her birthday isn't listed anywhere. And two, I just thought it would be interesting. Having a character that failed a grade and thus is older than the rest of the class.**

**The song that Miharu sang is called "Go **** Love & Peace" (yes, the arrow is in the actual title), which is the end credits them for a video game called Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2. It's a series of RPG's that I've gotten into recently. Although, it's a very obscure series. And I mean VERY obscure. Not that many people know about it and I'm just trying to spread the word a little. Hence why this song was referenced.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	22. Tropical Tea Time

**Chapter 22 – Tropical Tea Time**

**Miharu's POV**

"**W-We're here!**" Mugi yelled out as we met up with the others at the airport.

"Geez, you guys. We were about to leave without you." Ritsu said.

"S-Sorry. Miharu overslept."

"_Ugh. Damnit. Why the hell is this flight so freaking early?_ _Je suis tellement fatigue._" I whined.

"I-I did tell you to…g-go to bed early…M-Miharu-san." Mikuru said. She was currently hiding behind Yoriko due to her anxiety acting up. I'm honestly surprised that she made it this far.

"Isn't 12:34 am early?"

"N-No. I-It is not."

"_***sigh***_ Whatever. I'll just sleep on the plane."

"Well, that should make everyone now." Mio said.

"Aw. I really wish you were able to come, Tamura-san." Yui said.

"I wish I can too, Yui. But Golden Week is yet another one of those holidays in which tourism goes through the roof. There's going to be a lot of people looking for a place to stay for the next ten days."

"Will you be okay by yourself?" Ui asked. "With Miharu-senpai, Mugi-senpai, and Mikuru-chan gone…"

"I already got that covered. My step-niece Iyo said that she and her college friends were willing to help out. They could use the extra money right about now."

"I see."

"Come to think about it, why isn't Sawako going with you?"

"She said that she was busy with something and will catch up on a later date." Ritsu said. "What that something actually is…"

"_Oh, God…_" Mio and Azusa shuttered in fear.

"_***sigh***_ Even on a national holiday, that woman is up to no good." Yoriko said with a slightly annoyed tone.

_She must really not like Sawako, huh?_

_***Chūi, jōkyaku. Okinawa hontō e chokkō-bin 1364-bin ga 15-bu-go ni shuppatsu shimasu. Shuppatsu made 15-bu.***_

"Crap! We only got fifteen minutes!" Ritsu yelled in a panic.

"Geez! It's because we had to wait for Miharu-senpai!" Jun yelled.

"_Well, excuse me for wanting to sleep…_"

"Just let it go, Miharu." Mugi said to me. "Come on, Mikuru-chan. I'll help you."

"Um…o-okay. G-Goodbye…M-Mother."

"Have fun, girls. And good luck with your performance." Yoriko waved us off as we all made a mad dash to the terminal to catch our flight. My second time going on a plane and it's taking me to a tropical island.

I wonder what mess will happen there…

* * *

***ONE 2 ½ HOUR FLIGHT LATER…***

"Miharu…Miharu…"

"_***tired moan***_"

"Come on, Miharu…"

"_No, man…You gotta go into the…Zzz…Nissan Maximas. Not the…Zzz…Nissan Altimas. It's under the…Zzz…Regis Philbin. Not that far down. That's…Zzz…That's the Nissan Sentras. Just keep…Zzz…getting it right in the Pathfinder…Zzz…_"

"What the hell? Miharu, please wake up."

"H-Huh? Mugi? Wh-What happened?"

"You were talking in your sleep. Something about…Nissan cars and…whoever the hell Regis Philbin is."

"O-Oh, sorry." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "I was thinking of this TV show that I like to watch. It's truly funny as hell."

"I see…" Mugi gained a sweatdrop. I bet she still thinks that I'm a weirdo for dreaming about the full line of Nissan and a guy named Regis Philbin.

_Who the hell is that guy, anyway?_

"Anyway, what's happening?" I asked.

"Oh, right. We arrived in Okinawa. We're about to land soon. So, I woke you up."

"Really? That was fast." I then looked out the window and saw what looked like a tropical paradise just flying on by. "_Woah…_this is Okidna? It's freaking huge."

"It's _**Okinawa**_, Miharu." Mugi gained another sweatdrop.

"Wow…never did I think that we would be performing in a festival on Okinawa Island. This is so cool!" Yui cheered from the window behind us.

"I know." Ritsu said. "And we'll make such a mark here that people of Okinawa will never forget the name **Hō-kago Tea Time!**"

"Ritsu, don't yell on the plane." Mio scolded her.

"Wait, was that the name? I already forgot."

"Why must you make things difficult?" Ritsu said to me with an exasperated look.

"Hey, guys." Azusa said while looking on her phone. "Do we know any of the other performers at this music festival? I'm not finding any on the official site."

"From what Sawa-chan told me, the list is being kept a secret. There are apparently rumors of a big-time celeb being a part of it."

"Big-time celeb? Like a singer or something?" Mio asked.

"Who knows. We'll just have to wait until we get there."

"Until we get there…_***sigh***_" Mugi to herself with a sad tone.

"You're still worried, aren't you?" I asked her.

"Well…I would be lying if I said I wasn't."

"Don't worry, Mugi." Ritsu said. "If anything happens, we'll be there to back you up."

"We're bandmates and more importantly best friends." Yui added.

"Agreed." Mio and Azusa chimed in.

"See, Mugi? We'll all here for you. If we run into that Pricky Prickerson and he tries to do something, we'll be there to stop it all. Just trust us on this. Please?"

"Everyone…" Mugi went silent for a bit. Then giggled a bit as she grew a small smile on her face. "…Thank you…everyone. All of you are truly my best friends."

"No problem, Mugi." The five of us said.

_***Chūi, jōkyaku. Nahakūkō ni chakuriku shimasu. Chakuseki shite shītoberuto o shimete kudasai. Jettosutājapan o go riyō itadaki arigatōgozaimasu. Mata o ai dekiru koto o tanoshiminishiteimasu.***_

"**Woo-hoo! We're here! We're finally here!**"

"Jun-chan, please calm down!" We heard Ui and Jun yelling from behind us.

"Man…soon, we're about to experience island life." Ritsu said.

"I know, I'm so excited." I said.

"Oh. Just one more thing, Miharu."

"Yeah, Mu…"

***FLICK***

"_Ow!_" I whined after Mugi finger-flicked me in the forehead.

"Pricky Prickerson? _**Really**_?"

"I was hoping you would notice that, Mugi." Mio said with a sweatdrop.

"_Man…Daddy's Girls are a total pain._"

"I couldn't agree with you more, Miharu." Ritsu said to me.

* * *

We all soon got off of the plane and grabbed our bags. And now, we were standing outside. Witnessing the tropical scenery that is…uh…wait…

"_Psst. Hey, Mugi. How do you say it again?_"

"Okinawa."

Right. What she said.

"Wow…so this is Okinawa Island." Nodoka said in amassment.

"It's everything I thought of it to be. Clear blue sky, sandy beaches, the right amount of heat…it's truly amazing." Himeko said.

"Alright, girls." Ritsu said. "We're here in Okinawa…let's do some sightseeing!"

"Um…Ritsu-senpai. Should we not head for the hotel, first?"

"Yeah, I totally wouldn't want to carry these bags everywhere." I said. "Nice idea, uh…S…Sumire."

"**Okay, now I am certain that you are just…**wait. What did you just call me?"

"Uh…Sumire? Why, did I get wrong again?"

"Y-You…**Y-You ACTUALLY got my name right?!**"

"I may have given her a few extra lessons in that regard." Nodoka said.

"Nodoka-senpai…"

"I really am sorry for getting your name wrong time and time again, Sumire." I said. "It's just…well, with me being a foreigner, I didn't know any Japanese. So, it just took a while."

"See, Sumire?" Mugi said to her extremely young maid. "Miharu's not that bad of a person. So, please end this one-sided grudge against her."

"Ojōsama…W-Well, fine." Sumire crossed her arms and looked away from us. "It's not like I have to start liking her right away. For now, I accept your apology, Miharu-ojōsama."

"Um…Thanks, Sumire." I said.

"_I sense a tsundere…_"

"**I-I am NOT a tsundere!**" Sumire then yelled at Jun with a light blush on her face.

"What's a tsundere?" I asked Mugi.

"It's…complicated."

_Well, that didn't help at all…_

"Hey, guys." Ui called out to us. "This bus over here will take us to the hotel. It even passes the venue where the music festival is held."

"I saved us some seats! Come on!" Yui yelled out from inside the bus.

"Alright. Let's go…"

"**Dibs on the front seat!**" Jun yelled as she ran towards the bus. Pushing Ritsu out of the way in the process.

"**H-Hey! No way, Jun! I get the front seat!**"

"_I already got it!_" Yui teased with an added bonus of sticking her tongue out at the two.

"_**What?! No way!**_"

"The three of them are like children…" Mio said with a facepalm.

"Well, I'm already used to it with Onee-chan…" Ui said with a sweatdrop.

"We're in for one hell of a vacation…" Azusa said with a combination of both.

"So. Ready to go, Miharu?" Mugi asked me.

"Yep. Let's enjoy ourselves in Okukuwawa, baby!"

"Seriously?"

"Nah. I'm just screwing with you. I knew how to say it the whole time."

"Do you want me to finger-flick you again?"

"Pl-Please, don't. It hurts like hell." I said with a little nervousness inside me.

Mugi then just giggled at me before grabbing my hand and rushing me along with her to the bus.

"You are a strange sister, Miharu." She said with a smile.

_I'll take that as a compliment…_

_**Author's Note:**_** The girls have arrived in Okinawa. Their 10-day vacation has finally begun. Now they'll experience the island life as they prepare for the music festival.**

**9 more chapters until the story ends. And from the next chapter onwards, I'm going to do something…a little bold. It may be bold, but it will definitely prove that I don't follow the regular story guidelines of this site. The timelines, the character personalities, the amount of original characters, the ships, all of that crap. It's all ridiculous as hell.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. Later.**


	23. Island Crossing

**Chapter 23 – Island Crossing**

**Azusa's POV**

The view of Okinawa on land was ever more beautiful than it was in the air. The whole island was like one huge beach resort. Sandy beaches with crystal clear water, tropical forests, and the area we were driving through...it was the definition of a small town. The streets were small and the buildings looked old. As if they haven't been remolded since the day they were built.

I can appreciate stuff like this. Not worrying about keeping up with all these new advances the majority of the country is known for and keeping it original and (in this case) rural-like.

I say rural-like because there were still shops, restaurants, hotels, and even an aquarium. Okinawa isn't exactly a "country" tropical island.

_Wait, is that even a thing?_

"Okinawa sure is pretty huh, Azusa-chan?" Ui asked me.

"Yeah, it sure is. It's even prettier in person."

"What do you plan on doing first?"

"Once everything's settled and we meet with Sawako-sensei's friend at the music festival, I'm heading for the beach with Miharu-senpai."

"Oh. So, it's like a date." Ui began to giggle a bit.

"I-It's not…W-Well, kinda." I blushed with embarrassment.

"Do you have everything for it?"

"Yeah, I do." I started digging through my small backpack. "Swimsuit, sandals, beach towel…_cr-crap._"

"What?"

"_I-I forgot to pack sunscreen…_"

"Oh, yeah. You get easily tanned, don't you?"

"_***sigh***_ Damnit. And I don't have any money to go out and buy some. Ui, help me out."

"S-Sorry, Azusa-chan. I don't have much money, either."

"_Great._" I gained an exasperated look.

"Well, this is Okinawa. Maybe something lucky will happen to you."

"Yeah, well this "lucky thing" better happen in the next hour and a half, or else I'm screwed."

"Just have some hope, Azusa-chan." Was all Ui said.

* * *

We arrived at the hotel and checked into the two rooms we were sharing. It was the third-years in one room and the second and first-years in the other.

And no matter how you look at it, they both were freaking amazing.

"_Woah…_**THIS** is our room?!" Yui-senpai yelled in excitement.

"It's so spacious. Even if we decided to share just one room." Mio-senpai said.

"**Woah, guys! Even the bathroom is huge!**" Ritsu-senpai yelled as we all went to see just how huge it really is.

And she wasn't lying.

"I-Is a bathroom this big…r-really necessary?" Mikuru-san asked.

"Well, there are twelve of us." Himeko-senpai said. "But even with that…"

"Aw, it'll be fine." Miharu-senpai said. "All we have to do is not look at each other's _seins_ and _chattes _and we'll be fine."

"Wh-What?" Nearly everyone gained a confused look.

"What is wrong with you?" Mugi-senpai asked her sister with a huge facepalm.

"What did she say, Azu-nyan?" Yui-senpai asked.

"Nothing worth repeating, I can tell you that."

"W-Well, anyway…" Mio-senpai changed the topic. "…The six of us are about to head over to the music festival venue. Anyone want to come?"

"I'll pass for now. I'm pretty tired from the flight." Nodoka-senpai said.

"Me too." Ui said.

"As am I." Sumire-san added.

"I'm not really tired." Jun said. "But Himeko-senpai and I are gonna play Animal Crossing together."

"What?! You guys have Animal Crossing?!" Yui-senpai asked.

"We just bought it last week and we're both super hooked on it."

"I wasn't even an Animal Crossing fan before. Now I can't seem to put it down. It's so addicting." Himeko-senpai added.

"_Ooh…guys, can't we stay a bit longer?_"

"Yui, we're on a tight schedule." Mio-senpai said. "The festival is in 4 days and we have to make sure we can even be a part of it alongside practicing for it."

"_Aw! But it's Animal Crossing!_"

"Yui…"

"I didn't know Yui-senpai was a fan of Animal Crossing." I said to Ui.

"She plays it a lot. Ever since we were younger. She currently has over 150 hours on New Horizons."

"Damn…"

"Look, Yui. You can play Animal Crossing later." Ritsu-senpai said. "Right now, we _**really**_ need to go."

"_Okay, fine._ But only if Miku-chan comes with us!"

"U-Um, wh-why?" Mikuru-san asked.

"Because, Miku-chan. With you around, it'll help me not think of how much I want to play Animal Crossing."

"Th-That makes no sense, Hirasawa-senpai. A-And why do I have to…g-go out so…s-soon." Mikuru-san then began shaking in fear. Probably due to her anxiety.

"Don't worry, Mikuru. Mugi and I will look after you." Miharu-senpai said.

"Please play along, Mikuru-san." Mio-senpai said. "It's the only way we'll get Yui to come outside."

"_***sigh***_ F-Fine. I-It looks like I…d-do not have a choice."

"**Yay! You're the best, Miku-chan!**" Yui-senpai cheered as she began cuddling Mikuru-san like how she does to me.

"Gah! H-Hirasawa-senpai! Pl-Please stop! Y-You are squeezing too hard!"

"Yui-chan seems to cling onto Mikuru-chan a lot, huh?" Mugi-senpai asked.

"Better her than me." I replied.

* * *

And so, the six of us bandmates plus Mikuru-san were out walking the beachside streets of Okinawa heading to the venue of the music festival. Bringing Mikuru-san did get Yui-senpai to come outside and forget about Animal Crossing for a while.

But now, Mikuru-san was having a panic attack from the number of people around us. Case in point, she was hiding behind Miharu-senpai while shaking in fear.

"Come on, Mikuru. You're too old for this."

"I-I am sorry, Miharu-san. B-But I am…r-really uncomfortable…w-with this many people."

"Reminds me of a certain person that I know…"

"_**Watch it, Ritsu.**_" Mio-senpai said to her in a threatening tone.

"So, where's this venue again?" Mugi-senpai asked.

"Uh…Ui said that it was around this area. I-I think."

"You think? Ricchan, are we lost?"

"W-We're not lost. I mean, the bus came down this street, right?"

"Weren't you paying attention?" I asked. "You're our club leader and all."

"W-Well, I…I-I was busy sightseeing. K-Kinda."

"_***sigh***_ Great. So, we are lost." Mio-senpai said.

"_This wouldn't be happening if I was playing Animal Crossing…_" Yui-senpai added.

"**Forget about Animal Crossing, damnit!**"

"_N-No, no, no, no, no. W-We are lost in a completely new area…_" Mikuru-san began panicking more.

"Calm down, Mikuru." Miharu-senpai said. "Let's just ask for directions and…"

"_A-A-Ask for…d-d-directions?! Y-You want to me to…a-a-ask a __**stranger?! M-M-Miharu-san, you are crazy!**_"

"M-Mikuru-chan, please calm down." Mugi-senpai said.

"_**N-No, no, no, no, no! I-I cannot do this! I-I want to go back ho…**_"

***BAM***

"_Ow…_" Mikuru-san had then suddenly bumped into someone and they both fell to the ground. "Ah! I-I am sorry! I-I was not looking where I was going!"

"No, it's fine. I'm still terrible at walking by myself anyway." The girl said.

_Wait…terrible at walking by herself? The only person I know who's like that is…_

The girl, with the short red hair that I'm now noticing, stood up on her feet while patting herself off. It was then that we saw her purple eyes.

Or rather…a lack of one of them.

"Huh? Akari?" I asked.

"Woah. Hey, guys. What a surprise."

"**Akari-chan!**" Yui-senpai cheered as she hugged the one-eyed girl.

"Wait, you guys know this girl?" Miharu-senpai asked.

"This is Akari Akaza. She's a friend of ours who lives in Takaoka." I explained.

"Takaoka? Isn't that where Yoriko's step-niece and her friend are from?"

"Yep. They all know each other."

"Huh. So, she's one of _**those**_ girls that you were talking about earlier. It makes _**a lot**_ of sense now that I'm seeing it myself."

"Why do I feel like that was some kind of insult towards my missing eye?" Akari asked with a sweatdrop.

"Akari, what are you doing here in Okinawa?" I asked.

"Oh, um…we're here for the music festival."

"Wait, what? The music festival?" Ritsu-senpai asked in shock.

"You guys know about it?"

"Know about it? We're performing in it. Hopefully."

"We got lost thanks to Ritsu's _**great**_ sense of direction." Mio-senpai said.

"_You didn't have to put it that way, Mio…_"

"I see. Well, I was on my way back from the hotel we're staying at. I could take you guys there."

"Really? You'll do that, Akari-chan?" Mugi-chan asked.

"Sure, I don't mind. Plus, the others will probably be excited to see you girls again, too."

"Others?" We all asked.

"What do you mean by "others"?" Mio-senpai asked.

"Chinatsu, Kyouko, and Yui are here, too. Along with a few friends of ours."

"**What?! How did the four of you afford a trip to Okinawa?!**"

"Kyouko's uncle paid for it. He's really wealthy."

"Geez…"

_So, this really is a crossover story…kinda._

"Well, if it will make us be on-time for try-outs, then we'll take the offer. Thanks a lot, Akari." Ritsu-senpai said.

"Yeah, this is totally great." Yui-senpai said. "Not only will our friends see us perform but we get to reunite with you girls again. This totally makes up for me not playing Animal Crossing."

"Animal Crossing?" Akari gained a confused look.

"Don't ask." While the rest of us gained an exasperated sweatdrop.

* * *

Akari eventually took us to the venue for the music festival. Which, as it turns out, was down a street we never even saw due to the bus never going down this route.

So, wherever Ui got that info that we would pass it on the way to the hotel, it wasn't detailed enough.

_But I still blame Ritsu-senpai's bad sense of directions…_

Anyway…the venue itself wasn't all that big. It was mainly just a bamboo-made stage that took up a part of the beach. While in the distance was a bunch of booths and stuff. All either fully set up or near completion.

I'm starting to think that this "music festival" has more emphasis on the "festival" part and the "music" part is just a bonus.

_***sigh***__ Oh, well. At least it's something._

"Geez. I thought Akari was joking when she said that she literally ran into you girls." Chinatsu said as we were now talking with the Takaoka Girls.

"I was still rather worried about letting you walk by yourself. But I guess luck was on your side this time, Akari." Kyouko said.

"Yep. And it only took a few run-ins with a couple of poles and trees for it to show up."

"Don't sound so proud of that." The two girls gained a sweatdrop.

"You know, it's been a while since we last saw you girls." Ritsu-senpai said. "Though, I am shocked that this reunion happened in Okinawa, of all places."

"Akari told us that you all were performing here. So, I guess it's lucky on our end, too." Kyouko said.

"I see."

"Hey, guys. Check it. They got some pretty insane Slurpee flavors here. Way crazier than the ones at Himeko's job." Miharu-senpai said as she and Mikuru walked up to us. Both with a 7-Eleven Slurpee in their hand.

"I must say. Despite its weird name, Fruitalicious Tropical Rainbow is a really yummy treat." Mikuru-san said. "I can just feel my anxiety slowly going away. _Haa~…_"

"Um…good for you, Mikuru-chan." Mugi-senpai said.

"So, who are these two?" Chinatsu asked.

"Well…the older girl is Miharu Neroni. She recently moved here from France and joined our band. _A-A-And, uh…_"

"She and Mugi-chan are half-sisters." Yui-senpai added.

"Half-sisters?" The trio were confused.

"Is that even a thing?" Akari asked.

"I-It's a long story…but yes. It is a thing." Mugi-senpai said.

"Woah…"

"And the younger one is Mikuru Tamura." Mio-senpai said. "She's normally super shy. But I guess that Slurpee really has calmed her down a lot."

"_***slurp***__ Mmm…so good._" Mikuru-san wasn't even paying attention as she was still taking sips of her Slurpee.

"_***giggle***_ She's a lot like you when you eat Rum Raisin, Kyouko." Chinatsu said.

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." Kyouko grew insulted.

"_Hey, didn't you say that Chinatsu and Kyouko were dating?_" I whispered to Akari.

"_Yeah, they are. It's still rather odd to me since Chinatsu absolutely hated Kyouko's guts before the whole…incident thing._"

"_The moment you lost your eye really was when everything changed, huh?_"

"_Yeah…you can say that again._"

"Hey, we should all hang out together once we're finish with the try-outs here." Ritsu-senpai said.

"Sure, why not." Chinatsu said. "We're just waiting for Yu…"

"_**Chinatsu!**_" Akari and Kyouko quickly covered the pink-haired girl's mouth in a panic.

"Huh? Waiting for who?"

"Come to think of it, where's Yui-san? She is here with you guys, right?" Mio-senpai asked.

"Um…well…" Akari said.

"She…**is** here. But…" Kyouko said.

_Something's up with these two. They're hiding something. And it involves Yui-san in some way. But how?_

And then, as I had just finished asking myself that question, the most **UNEXPECTED** thing to ever happen…just straight-up happened.

"_***sigh***_ I'm finally done with rehearsal. Once I change out of this outfit, let's get something to eat. I'm star…ving…"

"W-Woah…" Mio-senpai said.

"N-No way. It's…"

"**HOLY CRAP! IT'S LYRICA!**" Yui-senpai cheered with excitement. Completely cutting out Ritsu-senpai's dialogue.

"**Gah! Wh-Why are you guys here?!**"

"Huh?" We were all confused.

_Does Lyrica…know us?_

"_Hey. You're still using your other identity._" Said a girl with long orange hair standing next to Lyrica.

"Cr-Crap."

"Wait a second. I recognize that voice." Mugi-senpai said. "Yui-san…is that you?"

"Huh?!" The rest of us (that knew who Mugi-senpai was talking about) were confused.

…

…

…

"_***sigh***_ Oh, what's that point in denying it now?" Lyrica said before she started undoing the medium-sized ponytail she was known for and fixed it up a bit differently.

And once she was done…

"Holy mother of crap…"

"Hey, guys. It's been a while…I guess." Lyrica, now revealed to us as Yui Funami, said in a nervously calm tone.

"**W-Wait, what?! Y-Yui-san is Lyrica?!**" Mio-senpai yelled.

"Unbelievable…" I said.

"This totally beats Animal Crossing by far." Yui-senpai said.

"_About freaking time…_" Ritsu-senpai mumbled to herself.

"Man. You are just horrible at keeping your second identity a secret, huh?"

"Shut up, Sachiko." Yui-san said to the girl next to her.

_Sachiko? Is that her name?_

"Miharu-san…do you have any idea what is going on?" Mikuru-san asked.

"Nope. Not a clue, Mikuru."

_Right. These two aren't familiar with this group._

"Well, you see…" I tried to explain it all to the two. But then…

"**Sachiko!**"

We looked to see a girl with short light-red hair with a yellow headband containing a big pink flower on its right side. She was running up to us with something in her hands. And she seemed pretty excited about it.

"**Sachiko! I found one! I finally found one! I found a shiny pear-WHOA!**"

***THUD***

"_Ouchie…_" The girl then fell flat on the floor. Shockingly not breaking the huge pearl in her hands.

"Geez, Yuri. I kept telling you to not run while wearing flip-flops." The girl named Sachiko said.

"Sorry. I was just so excited. I finally found a shiny pearl!"

"Why were you looking for a shiny pearl?" Chinatsu asked.

"Because once we get back home, Risa and I are going to use this as a hex pearl for our Cultural Festival this year."

"Uh…" The five girls had no idea why this girl wanted to do such a thing. And I don't think they wanted to know, either.

_A hex pearl? What even is that?_

"So, um…who's this girl?" Ritsu-senpai asked.

"This is Yuri Katabuki." Sachiko said. "She's a friend of mine."

"_Ooh~._ Who are the new City Girls? Are they friends of yours, Sachiko?"

"C-City Girls?" The seven of us were rather offended by that.

"Yuri…" Chinatsu said. "Sorry about that. Yuri's just as country as Sachiko. If not more."

"There ain't nothin' wrong with bein' a country girl, suga." Sachiko said while using country dialect.

"It is when you talk like that…" Akari gained a sweatdrop.

"So. Are we done here? When can we go to the beach huh, Sachiko?" Yuri asked.

"Later, Yuri."

"_Aw! But you promised we'll go after Yui finishes her Lyrica thing!_"

"**Yuri!**" Yui-san yelled with a panicked blush.

"Well, that confirms one thing." Mugi-senpai said.

"Don't you remember, Yuri? Even if we were going right this second, we still gotta buy you a new swimsuit. You outgrew your other one after just two months of having it."

"Oh, yeah."

"Wait…outgrew a swimsuit?" Miharu-senpai asked.

"Yeah…this 13-year-old right here keeps growing out of the clothes people buy for her. It's like her growth spurt never ends."

"**W-Wait, she's 13?!**" Mio-senpai yelled.

"Damn, her titties are huge." Miharu-senpai said.

"I-I do not understand. Sh-She is younger than me…b-but to have **THAT** big of a chest is…_Nooo…_" Mikuru-san's anxiety came back. Along with a sense of jealousy and sadness for having a 13-year-old beat her in chest size.

"_Tch. Why is this world so damn cruel to us?_"

"_***sniff***__ It's not fair, Ricchan. It's just not fair._"

"_I know, right?_" Ritsu-senpai, Yui-senpai, Chinatsu, and Kyouko were feeling the same thing.

And I don't blame them. As I understand their pain.

"We're all going to have a lot of explaining to do, huh?" I asked Akari.

"Yep. Pretty much." She answered with a sweatdrop.

_**Author's Note:**_** And so, here's the "bold" thing I was talking about before. A crossover in a non-crossover story.**

**Okay, I know this has been done several times before (and not just by me). But this idea came not that long ago (probably like 2 or 3 chapters ago) and I figured why the hell not. It's not going to affect the plot in any shape or form. It's just extra.**

**By the way, the name of this chapter has a double meaning. One for this "crossover" and one for the Animal Crossing reference.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	24. Citations & Citrus

**Chapter 24 – Citations & Citrus**

**Ritsu's POV**

"No way!"

"Yui-san is Lyrica?!"

"**That is so freaking cool!**"

"_***sigh***_ Never did I believe that my secret would be revealed to this many people…" Yui-san said with a little shame. We had returned to the hotel room and brought the Takaoka girls with us. And we had just told the others that Yui-san was the famous J-Pop idol Lyrica.

Nearly everyone had lost their minds.

"Wowie…I always wanted to meet a real-life idol. But I never thought I knew one this whole time!"

"I know, right? I still can't believe how lucky we are!" Jun said to Yui.

"_You may be lucky. But I sure ain't._" Yui-san said to herself.

"So, this friend of yours is…an idol famous in this country?" Miharu asked.

"Lyrica is a J-Pop idol who quickly rose to fame in the 2 years she's been around." I explained. "Most, if not all of her songs reach the top of the charts just days after releasing."

"And her first album just sold out, too." Yui added. "It was the first time I woke up early for something."

"**THAT** was the first time?" Mio and Nodoka both gained a sweatdrop.

"Did you know any of this?" Miharu asked Mugi.

"I'm not into Pop music. So, I didn't know either."

"Huh."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing much. I just…I just find this hard to believe."

"Hard to believe as in excited?"

"No, as in I don't believe this is true."

"**What?!**" Most of us yelled in shock.

"I must agree with Miharu-ojōsama." Sumire said. "I cannot believe this is true."

"Yeah…me neither."

"You too, Hime-chan?" Yui asked.

"Sorry, Hirasawa-san. But I just don't believe it. She could just be a cosplayer or something."

"C-Cosplay?" Yui-san asked in shock.

"Hold on." Kyouko said. "I've known Yui since we were kids. There's no way she would do anything like cosplaying just for fun."

"It's true." Sachiko added. "Yui may look like a boy at times. But she would never do something so pathetic as trying to look girly for no apparent reason."

***STOMP***

"_Gah. My foot…_" She then wined while holding her foot in pain after Yui-san had stomped it hard for that remark.

_She must've replaced Kyouko as the person to insult her a lot. Makes sense, considering what Kyouko went through about a year ago._

"Well, Yui-san." Nodoka said. "Maybe if you prove that you really are Lyrica, you might change their minds."

"Prove that I'm Lyrica? How am I supposed to do that?"

"What else?" Chinatsu said to her. "Just sing them a song or something."

"Wh-What?! You want me to sing?! Here?! No way! People nearby will definitely hear me!"

"Not if you sing quietly enough." Jun said. "Come on, Yui-san. I never get to see you perform live in-person and this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me."

"Yeah! I agree with Jun-chan! Please do it, Yui-san! Please?" Yui begged.

"B-But…"

"You might as well, Yui." Akari said. "Otherwise, these girls will never believe you."

…

…

…

"_***sigh* **_Fine. Maybe like a verse or two."

"**ALRIGHT!**"

"Hey, keep it down." Mio said to the two fangirls.

Yui-san took a deep breath as she prepared to sing one of her Lyrica songs. I'm not as big of a fan as Yui and Jun are. But I am familiar with most of her songs.

"_I wish ugokidasu yuuki wa_

_Go fight darenimo tomerarenai_

_I don't forget yuruganai negai_

_Promise to you inori wa hitotsu ni_

_Kibou dake atsumete tsuyousa ni kaeta basho_

_Megami-sama ni nareru kiga shita_"

W-Well, okay. Maybe not **THAT** one.

"Well…the voice seems to be identical." Sumire said.

"M-Maybe she is the real deal, Sumire-san." Mikuru said.

"I guess…"

"_N-No way. Th-That song…_" Miharu mumbled to herself. "H-Hey, uh…Yui, was it? Did you really write that song?"

"Well, no. It's actually a remaster of an old song a past singer did. I think it's called…Go Love & Peace or something like that. Why, you've heard of it?"

"Uh…"

"Miharu-senpai. Isn't that song…" Azusa asked.

"Yeah…that's the song that my mom used to sing to me."

"Huh? Your mom?" I asked.

Miharu didn't answer and her mood got sadder. I even thought I saw a couple of tears forming in her eyes.

_Miharu…?_

"U-Uh, hey! Miharu!" Mugi suddenly yelled out. "I remember seeing this nice store on the way here! Let's go check it out! Like, right now!" She then grabbed Miharu's arm and both started heading for the door.

"I-I'll come with you, Senpai!" Azusa yelled. "L-Like right now!"

"H-Hey! Wh-What about my question?!" I asked.

"S-Sorry, everyone! Th-That store's gonna close soon! Gotta go now or never!" Mugi said.

"I'll talk to you later okay, Akari?" Azusa added.

"Uh…okay. Later…Azusa."

We were all left in that room with huge looks of confusion as we each tried to figure out what the hell just happened.

"Uh…hey." Yui said after a moment of silence. "Miharu-chan looked kinda sad earlier. Is she okay?"

"I hope so, Yui." I said.

_But something is telling me that she isn't…_

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

The two of us managed to get away from the others and got Miharu to feel somewhat better about what had happened. There was no store, in case you couldn't tell. So, we just went to a nearby café and got something to eat.

It lightened the mood a little. But…

"_***sigh***_ Man, I can't believe I nearly cried in front of them. My emotions keep screwing with me."

"It couldn't be helped, Senpai." Azusa-chan said. "Yui-san suddenly singing that song was unpredicted own its own right."

"_***sigh***_ Yeah…" Miharu then took a sip of the frappé she ordered.

"So, she told you too?" I asked.

"Yeah. She did. During the welcome party before her father called. She really did care for her mother."

"Yeah…no doubt about that."

The conversation didn't go anywhere for a few minutes. During that time, we just took sips of the drinks we order. Miharu had a chocolate frappé. Azusa-chan just had a bottle of water. And then I had this weird-looking drink called a Blimey Limey Smoothie. The name itself made me believe that this is a weird as hell smoothie. But "weird as hell" wasn't something I normally encountered when it came to food and drinks (thanks to my parents). So, I decided to take the chance.

Thing is…

"_Ugh._ This drink's way too sour. _There goes 600 yen down the drain._"

"I told you not to get it, Mugi." Miharu said to me. "With the amount of limes they mix in with orange juice, of course it would be sour."

"I was just curious. I never got to taste these smoothies whenever I came down here with my parents. The fact that I'm here without them…I kinda took the chance."

"_***sigh***_ Understandable. Considering where you came from."

…

…

…

"S-So…do you want it?" I asked.

"Mugi, that drink's sour as hell. Why would I drink it?"

"Well, I don't want it. Primarily for that same reason."

"Mugi…" Miharu gained a sweatdrop.

"Don't you want it, Azusa-chan?"

"U-Uh…no. I-I'm good, Mugi-senpai."

"What? You don't like sour things, either?"

"W-Well, not exactly." Azusa-chan then went silent for a bit. "Y-You see, just recently I found out that I'm allergic to citrus."

"Allergic…to citrus?" The two of us asked in complete confusion.

"It was two weeks ago when I had to go to the doctor. I had eaten this cake that my mom had brought home from work and I started feeling weird immediately after taking one bite of it. We thought it was some kind of stomach virus at first. But then the test results came back and it read that I had grown a specific chromosome that made me have this really weird reaction to citrus fruits."

"A chromosome?"

"Apparently, whenever I eat a citrus…like an orange or a lime of some sort…I get this swirly orange rash all over my body, my eyes would change color from brown to orange while my pupils would dilate greatly, and then I start drooling pink saliva."

"Well, damn. All of that from a single citrus fruit?" Miharu asked.

"Well, there's that. And then there's the fact that I end up acting so derpy like I've smoked a ton of marijuana or something. It's such a weird reaction."

""Weird" is an understatement…" Miharu and I both gained a sweatdrop.

"So, yeah. I can't drink your smoothie, Mugi-senpai. Sorry."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine, Azusa-chan. I'll just go throw it away. _Man. When you're on limited money, it hurts like hell when you waste something._"

"That's the life of a regular girl, Mugi-senpai."

"Glad to see that you're seeing the regular life in our eyes." Miharu added.

"_Did you really had to bring that up?_" I asked with an exasperated tone before I got up to throw this smoothie in the trash.

_Well, that conversation was…interesting. Never would've thought that Azusa-chan would have such an insane allergy. Let alone it being caused by something as harmless as an orange._

_But that did distract us from what we originally came here to talk about. Miharu's mom…even after all these months of being in Japan, she's still hurting from her death._

_I want to help her…no…as her older half-sister…b-by a day, it's my duty to help her. But…I have no idea how. Even though I'm estranged from my own parents at the moment, they're still alive. I've never dealt with the loss of a family member before. Where do I even begin with such a top..._

***BAM***

"_Ouch…_Ah, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Are you hurt?"

"No, no. I'm fine. Not a scratch on me." Said the man with brown hair as he turned to face me. That was when I froze up completely as I stared at this man. Because no doubt I had seen him before. And there was no denying it that it was the same guy.

"W-Wait, aren't you…Miharu's…"

"Hey, Mugi. What's the hold-up?" I heard Miharu's voice call out to me. Soon, she and Azusa-chan came inside the café to meet with me. And they both caught sight of the man in front of me.

"_N-No way._" Azusa-chan said."_I-Isn't this…_"

"**P-Papa?!**"

"Miharu?"

"_Holy crap! We ran into Miharu-senpai's dad!_"

"_Just our freaking luck, Azusa-chan…_" I said with a huge exasperated sweatdrop.

_**Author's Note:**_** From remembering the loss of one parent to the sudden appearance of another. Miharu's got some serious parental issues going on here, huh?**

**Fun fact: Azusa being allergic to citrus fruits is a direct reference to my Yuru Yuri story Raspberry. In which Akari is allergic to raspberries. I could write a story like that in the future if you guys are interested. Just saying.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	25. A Special Final Goodbye

**Chapter 25 – A Special Final Goodbye**

**Azusa's POV**

"**Papa! Tu m'as vraiment vraiment manqué, Papa! Je suis tellement contente de te revoir!**"

"Hahaha. I missed you too, Miharu. But…you're kinda squeezing me a bit hard there."

Mugi-senpai and I watched as Miharu-senpai was hugging her father (who is surprisingly here) like there was no tomorrow. It was truly a shock for us to run into him. As this, along with me explaining my newly discovered citrus fruit allergy, distracted us from what we originally came down here for in the first place.

I would make a Yuru Yuri joke. But since they're here, too…there isn't really much of a point.

"So, uh…this is truly a surprise." I said. "None of us expected to find you here in Okinawa, Neroni-san."

"Yeah. What are you doing here, Papa?" Miharu-senpai asked her father. " I thought you were in Sceaux working."

"Well, I was. But work unexpectedly brought me down here for a few weeks. Apparently, there's a newly discovered fossil around here."

"Fossil?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. Papa's an archaeologist. He sometimes travels the world to find old boney thingies of dead people from the past or something like that."

"Miharu, dear…that's not a very good explanation." Neroni-san gained a sweatdrop.

"Well, I was close right, Papa?"

"Sure, Miharu. You were close."

"Oui, je gagne!" Miharu-senpai then hugged her dad again. As if she didn't do it enough literally a few seconds ago.

_And yet, she gets on Mugi-senpai's case for being a daddy's girl…_

…

_Speaking of which…_

I looked over a Mugi-senpai, who was trying extremely hard to not be involved in this conversation. Her face was blushed hard and she was sweating rapidly. I also saw her shake a little. All of which were rare to come out of this 17-year-old rich girl.

_Don't tell me she's still…_

"Mugi-senpai? Are you okay?"

"H-Huh? O-Oh, yeah. I-I'm fine, Azusa-chan." She stuttered.

"You don't sound fine."

"Wh-What do you mean? I-I'm just…_**r-really**_ happy that…M-Miharu got to see her father again. Th-That's all."

"Senpai…"

"Hey, Mugi…" Miharu-senpai said to her. "…Are you still uncomfortable around my dad?"

"Wh-What?! N-No! Of course, not! D-Don't be ridiculous, Miharu!"

"Mugi…"

…

…

…

"_***sigh***_ O-Okay, fine. I am. N-Nothing against you personally, Neroni-san. It's just…how your daughter and I became half-sisters still bothers me a little."

"I see. That's understandable." Neroni-san said.

_You know…I said once before that it's best that we didn't know how these two became half-sisters. But the more it's brought up, the more I actually want to know._

_Maybe I'll ask later…_

"Well, I do admit that what took place back then was highly irresponsible of us all. And what the end result being was not ever planned. But you shouldn't let it get to you so much, Mugi-san."

"Papa's right, Mugi." Miharu-senpai said. "I mean…I'm honestly scared as hell to meet your parents down the road. And I can't really prevent that from happening, as much as I want to. But I'm pushing through. All for my one and only half-sister. So, cheer up already, please? For me?"

"Miharu…" Mugi-senpai went silent for a bit. Then she started giggling as she hugged her half-sister with pure gratefulness. "Geez…you're always cheering me up whenever I feel down. You're so sappy, Miharu."

"I get that from Mio. She's the sappiest person we know."

_It's true. Mio-senpai is __**EXTREMELY **__sappy._

"And, um…I'm sorry for trying to ignore you, Neroni-san. I hope you truly forgive me for my behavior."

"It's okay, Mugi-san." Neroni-san said. "By the way…you two don't have to be so formal towards me."

"W-We don't?" We both asked.

"Not at all. After all, you are my daughter's half-sister and girlfriend respectfully."

"S-So, she told you, huh?" I started to blush.

"Yes. She did. To be quite honest, I'm surprised she's actually had a relationship for this long. Miharu's bisexuality has always made her jump around from relationship to relationship because she can never make up her mind on…"

"**PAPA!**" Miharu yelled with a huge blush on her face.

_Holy crap! That's the first time I've ever seen her blush! It's too cute!_

"_***chuckle* **_Sorry, sorry. My point is, "Neroni-san" is too formal. Just call me Raphael."

"S-Seriously?!" We both yelled in shock.

"That is my name."

"Come on, you guys. You do it to me." Miharu-senpai added.

Mugi-senpai and I looked at each other for a bit as we thought this over in our heads. Then we turned back to the Neroni duo with averagely confident looks on our faces.

"Very well, then. Raphael-san." Mugi-senpai said.

"It's nice to meet you in person, Raphael-san." I added. "And you can call me Azusa if you want."

"If that is your request, then I shall abide by it. Azusa-san."

_A-Azusa-san…geez, even though I said it was okay, it still gave me goosebumps. But why, though? Is it because this is my girlfriend's dad calling me that?_

…

_Or is it because…I finally have a father-like figure to call me by my first name?_

…

_And treat me like a human being…_

"Well, now. With that out of the way…what are you girls doing all the way out here?" Raphael-san asked.

"Oh, right. Our club advisor got us a spot in a music festival that's happening in a few days."

"Our bandmates are here and we even brought a few friends with us." Mugi-senpai said. "On top of the fact that there are even more that we ran into just recently."

"I see. That's sounds interesting."

"Yeah…I guess." Both sisters said with a depressed sigh.

"You don't sound so excited about it, though."

"W-Well, Raphael-san." I said. "Coming here actually brought us some problems."

"Problems?"

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"Oh. I see now. Mugi-san is estranged from her farther and…you're still grieving over your mother huh, Miharu?"

"Yes. That is the case." Mugi-senpai said.

"It wasn't that much of a problem before." Miharu-senpai said. "But then I heard that song…the song Mom would sing to me often. Hearing that, plus with Mother's Day almost here…I just can't stop thinking about her. _***sniff* **__Elle me manque vraiment, Papa. Je fais vraiment._" She then began to cry as she couldn't hold in her grief anymore. With Mugi-senpai comforting her like the many times she's comforted her before.

_***sigh***__ Poor Miharu-senpai. Even though it's been a while since her mom died, it still hurts her heart that she's truly gone._

_I want to help her. I mean…as her girlfriend, it's my duty to make her happy._

_But…I honestly don't know how to do such a thing. I've never had someone who I was close to die of anything. If there was an easy way to start off, then I would take it in a heartbeat._

_But such a thing can't be that easy, can it?_

"Miharu, dear…do you want to see your mother's grave?"

…

…

…

"H-Huh?" We all looked at Raphael-san with mild confusion.

"Your mother…her grave is on this island. Do you want to see it?"

"W-Wait, hold on! Mom's grave is **HERE?!**" Miharu-senpai yelled in shock.

"I'm not sure if she told you this already, but your mom was born here in Okinawa. And she wanted her resting place to be in the same area she was born in. It was one of her many last requests. Along with you experiencing life in Japan."

"_No way…_So, I can truly go see her?" Miharu-senpai then went silent again.

…

"Let's do it." Mugi-senpai and I both said.

"Wh-What?"

"Miharu, I really think you should do it." Mugi said. "It's a great opportunity to finally release your feelings about your mother."

"B-But can I truly do such a thing? Just thinking of her makes me tear up inside. Actually going to her grave and talking to her is just…"

"You don't know if you don't try, Senpai." I said. "This may be your only chance to give your mother that one final goodbye. I wouldn't waste this for the world."

"Mugi…Azusa…"

"Your friends seem to care for you a lot, Miharu. I think you should listen to them."

"Papa…" Miharu-senpai went silent again. Thinking hard of what to do next. "…Okay. Okay, I'll go. I'll go…see my mother one last time."

"There you go, Senpai." I said.

"And we'll all go with you, too." Mugi-senpai added.

"Unfortunately, I can't tag along. I have to get back to work." Raphael-san said as he took out a pen and paper. "But…here are the directions to the cemetery Akiyo is buried in. I'm sure you girls can find it on your own."

"Yay! Merci beaucoup, Papa!" Miharu-senpai cheered as she gave her dad a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much, Sir." Mugi-senpai and I said with a bow before we followed Miharu-senpai out of the café.

"Good luck, girls." Raphael-san said as he waved us goodbye.

* * *

**Miharu's POV**

Finding the cemetery didn't take long nor was it that difficult. We were about to get there in about an hour or so. And it was by bus, too.

Although…I am starting to have second thoughts about coming here so randomly.

"Uh…hey, guys. Was this _**really**_ a good idea?"

"Senpai…if you don't do this now, you're going to regret it hard later." Azusa said to me.

"Azusa-chan's right, Miharu." Mugi said. "We don't want you hurting more than you are now."

"B-But…"

"Miharu." Mugi then suddenly grabbed both of my hard and held them together with hers. Staring at me deep in the eyes with a serious and determined look. "Miharu, please. We already have one of us having a lost relationship with one of our parents. We don't need the other one with the same problem."

"One depressed sister is enough." Azusa said. "A-And besides…I-I want…m-my girlfriend to be happy, too. Y-You know." She then started to blush from saying that last sentence.

"Guys…" I honestly almost teared up from hearing those pleas. Other than my parents, I rarely had people who cared for my well-being this much. And the fact that this support was coming from my half-sister and my girlfriend…two people I thought I'd **NEVER** have when coming to this country…It was truly the best feeling in the world.

And I'd be a damn fool if I were to just throw it all away like this.

"A…Alright. Let's go." I said with a smile. "My mother's grave should be around here somewhere."

And so, the three of us started looking. The gravestones were (oddly) in alphabetical order. So, it took us a **VERY** long while to get to the N's. To the point where it was flat out ridiculous.

_Why the hell are there so many people with last names starting with A, H, I, K, and M?! Don't these Japanese people that there are 21 other letters?!_

It wasn't until we passed by someone named Naka-whatever for the nth time that we finally found it. The gravesite of the one person I cared about the most in this whole entire world.

And I get to see her once more.

""_Here lies Neroni Akiyo. Loving wife. Beloved mother. Brought smiles to all who knew her. Gone but not forgotten._" Well, here it is." Azusa said after reading the tombstone.

"Do you want us to give you some privacy?" Mugi asked me.

"No. I want you guys with me for this. It's a special moment for me, after all."

I then stepped forward towards the grave and kneeled in front of it. mentally preparing myself for what to say to my now-dead mother.

"H-Hey, Mom. I-It's me. Betcha shocked to see me all the way out here, huh? To be quite honest, I'm surprised myself.

S-So, um…I'm keeping that promise I made to you before you passed. I'm living my life as a Japanese girl. And I'm really enjoying it. I've made tons of new friends and the school you went to is pretty interesting on its own right.

Speaking of those friends…I have two of them with me right now. My girlfriend, Azusa Nakano. And my half-sister, Tsumugi Kotobuki."

"Nice to meet you, Neroni-san." Mugi said. "Your daughter has been a pleasant person to have around."

"It's true." Azusa said. "Although, her personality can be a bit questionable at times. And this is coming from the two people who are with her the most."

"Can't deny that."

"_Hey…_" I grew insulted.

"_***giggle***_ Sorry, sorry." They both grew a small smile.

"_***sigh***_ Anyway…I'm really having fun here. Because of these girls, I'm playing music again. I also learned a little Japanese. Although, I'm still not good at it.

Japan is as wonderful and amazing as you said it was in your stories. Coming here is almost like a dream come true. I just wish you were here with me.

_***sniff***__ I miss you, Mama. I really really do._"

After saying such an emotional line, I finally started crying. My tears of grief ran down my face and dripped down to the grass we were sitting on. It felt so good to finally release my full emotions all at once. And with both Mugi and Azusa comforting me throughout the whole thing…it only made the entire experience better than I originally thought it would be.

So much so, that I…

"_I wish deatta kono basho de_

_Go fight inochi ga moeru made_"

…

"S-Sorry. Th-That just came out." I said with a small blush of embarrassment.

_Aw, geez. I'm so emotional that I ended up singing the song right in front of them. So embarrassing._

"_I don't forget hateshinai tabi e_"

_M-Mugi…_

"_Promise to you chikai wa hitotsu ni_"

_A-Azusa…_

Both girls looked at me with huge smiles on their faces as they each grabbed hold of my hands. Feeling the tight grip they were both giving me…I returned the same force back. Not wanting to let go for a damn good while.

"_Kanashimi no kazu dake kizuna ga musuba reru_

_Megami-sama ga oshiete kureta_

_Everybody now kioku no sora_

_Happiness? Lucky? Your smile?_

_Darenimo makenai egao ni aitai_

_Everybody know akiramenai_

_Happiness? Lucky? Your smile?_

_Mirai o tsukamou...Love & Peace_"

We ended up singing the whole song together. A triple harmony of peaceful singing as I spoke to my mom one last time. Giving her the final goodbye that she truly deserved. So that I can finally move on. And continue to keep my promise to her.

"Are you feeling better now, Miharu?" Mugi asked me.

"Yeah. I am. Thank you both for making me do this. Passing this up would've been the biggest mistake of my life."

"We're glad you're happy again, Miharu-senpai." Azusa said. "Personally, I like this side of you the best."

"_***giggle***_ Of course, you do. Coming from my girlfriend and all." I then did something I haven't done in a while: gave my girlfriend a kiss on her lips. Making her giggle like a derpy idiot as she recovered from the surprise kiss.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Miharu." Mugi said.

"Thanks, Mugi." I said before clasping her hands together with mine. "And don't worry. I'm gonna do everything in my power to help and protect you. You're my half-sister and I never want to lose you. I promised my mom…and now I'm promising you. All the way."

Mugi didn't say much at first. She did instantly hugged me tight and I returned it right back. Her soft tears running down my neck as I felt her deep love for me.

As her half-sister…and her best friend.

"_Miharu…thank you._"

"_You're welcome, Mugi. You truly are._"

***RINGTONE CHIME***

***RINGTONE CHIME***

"Hey, Mugi-senpai. Your phone's ringing." Azusa said.

"_So, you're done being derpy, huh?_" I teased.

"Sh-Shut up!"

"Oh, it's Ricchan." Mugi said before answering her phone. "Hello?"

"_Hey, Mugi! Where the heck are you guys?! You've been gone all day and we're all getting worried._"

"_Is Miharu-chan okay? She seemed pretty sad earlier._" We heard Yui on the background.

"Don't worry. We're okay. We're actually on our way back now."

"_Please hurry. It gets dark faster in Okinawa._" We heard Mio say.

"We will." We all said before Mugi hung up.

"Well, that was an experience. Shall we head back now?" Mugi asked.

"Yeah, I'm tired." Azusa said. "No doubt Mio-senpai's gonna make us practice most of the day."

"Yeah…that does sound like something she would do."

"H-Hey, guys." I said. "D-Do you think we can…you know…keep this a secret from the others? At least for now."

Mugi and Azusa both looked at each other for a bit before returning to me. Suddenly hugging me as I tried not to cry again.

"Sure thing, Miharu." Mugi said.

"You're secret's safe with me, Senpai." Azusa said.

"_***sigh***_ Thanks, you guys. Now, come on! I haven't eaten a damn thing all day and I'm **STARVING!**"

"What's the difference? You're always starving." Mugi said.

"I-I'm not _**always**_ starving! I just eat a lot."

"If that the case, then it's surprising that you still have such a slim figure." Azusa said.

"_Au moins j'ai de plus gros seins…_"

_(At least I have bigger titties…)_

"**Don't make me punch you!**" Azusa yelled while tightening her fists at me.

"_***giggle***_ You two are like the perfect couple." Mugi said.

We continued talking about whatever came to mind as we made our way back to the hotel. My mind and heart completely refreshed after saying goodbye to the person who gave me this new life, to begin with.

_Thank you, Mama. I will never forget you._

_**Author's Note:**_** Thanks to the sudden appearance of her dad, Miharu was able to say one last farewell to her mom. And be at peace with her emotions.**

**So…remember back in chapter 21 that I said that these were the final ten chapters of the story? Well, after doing some thinking…I've decided to retract that announcement. The New Band Mate is continuing after the Okinawa trip! I still have more planned for the 6 girls of Tea Time (**_**In fact, there's a clue to a later event somewhere in this chapter. Hint, hint**_**).**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	26. Rained Out Feelings

**Chapter 26 – Rained Out Feelings**

**Jun's POV**

Nothing much was done after Mugi-senpai, Miharu-senpai, and Azusa came back from wherever they were all day yesterday. We just took baths, ate dinner, and did our own thing until it was time for bed. A pretty normal way to end off our first day in Okinawa.

Today, however…was a bit different. Mainly because…

"_***whine***__ It's raining!_"

"The forecast says that it's going to rain all day today. "100% chance of showers."." Nodoka-senpai said to Yui-senpai.

"_***whine***__ Nodoka-chan! Can't you make the rain stop?!_"

"Y-Yui, I'm not a miracle worker."

"Who said you had to be a miracle worker? Just do some hocus pocus stuff and get this rain outta here."

"_Hocus pocus?_ What the hell?" Nodoka-senpai gained a huge sweatdrop from hearing that.

"You guys were supposed to start practicing today, right?" I asked Mio-senpai.

"_***sigh***_ Yeah. Nothing much we can do with this rain around. It'll surely set us back a bit."

"Can't you just find a place to practice? I mean, you're usually the one demanding to practice no matter what."

"Even if we do find a place to practice, there's still…"

"_Come on, Nodoka-chan! You read a lot of books, right?! You surely read a book about changing the weather with witchcraft stuff, right?!_"

"**Y-Yui! That's ridiculous! I don't read witchcraft!**" Yui-senpai and Nodoka-senpai were still arguing about changing the weather.

"_**Gah!**_** Damnit, how do I keep losing?!**" Meanwhile, Ritsu-senpai, Himeko-senpai, and Sumire were playing Smash Bros. on the TV. With Ui watching from the sidelines.

"Wow. Tainaka-san, you suck at this game." Himeko-senpai said.

"_As if __**YOU'RE**__ doing any better, Himeko…_"

"Woah…I won again." Sumire said. Still shocked over her winning streak. "I must say…this "linguine" guy is rather fun to use."

"S-Sumire-san…his name is _**Luigi**_." Ui said with a sweatdrop.

And then the smoothie trio were still asleep in the other room. With Azusa snuggling up against Miharu-senpai like she's a freaking teddy bear. And Mugi-senpai…she's surprisingly a wild sleeper.

"Right…I guess everyone's already doing their own thing." I said with a sweatdrop.

"There's no way in hell I can get anyone to practice. Especially with the rain pouring down."

"Then…let's go do our own thing."

"Huh?"

"Come on, Senpai. There's never been a chance for just us two hang out together. It's always you with your group, me with my group…_you and Ritsu-senpai having crazy weird sex in those FanFiction stories…_"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last part." Mio-senpai said with a pissed off look on her face.

"Point is, we should take this opportunity before it drifts off from us. Beat the norm, you know?"

"Well…you do have a point." Mio-senpai thought for a moment. "Alright, Jun. We can go hang out together. It'll be fun."

"Yes! Alright! Let me just go put on a bra and we'll get going!"

"Y-You mean you're not wearing one?"

"Duh. I took mines off the moment we step foot inside this hotel room. I'm surprised nobody has noticed yet."

"I-I see…" Mio-senpai gained a sweatdrop.

* * *

The two of us left the room (the others were too busy with their own thing to notice that we were leaving) and went walking around the hotel. Eventually ending up on the first floor somewhere. This place is bigger than I first thought it was.

_This honestly puts Tamura-san's place to shame._

"Geez. The rain's really pouring out there, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah, it sure is. It makes sense, though. We are close to the rainy season, after all."

"What? Rainy season? Doesn't that start in June?"

"In Okinawa, the rainy season starts in May. This is because of it being its own island. In fact, a lot of things tend to be earlier here because of that reason."

"Wow. You sure know a lot about Okinawa, Senpai."

"I-I just read a bunch about it before coming here. It is my first time here, after all."

"I see." I was honestly amazed that she took the time to do that.

_Mio-senpai sure is smart. Diligent, too. I don't know why Azusa says that she's unreliable. She's every_ _kōhai's dream senpai. Hah~…_

…

…

…

_N-Not that I would know! I-I'm just saying!_

"So, what exactly did you wanted to do, Jun?" Mio-senpai asked.

"Uh…" I went silent for a bit. "…I'm not really sure. I've never stayed at a fancy hotel before. So, I'm not entirely sure what's here for us to do."

"I see. Well, we can just walk around a little to see what's here. Maybe we can find something for just the two of us to do."

"J-Just the two of us?!" I blurted out in shock while gaining a small blush on my face.

_W-Wait, why did I react like that?! This is just a simple thing that people hide! I'm getting worked up over freaking nothing!_

"You okay? Your face is getting red."

"U-Uh, yeah. Nothing to it. Let's go take that walk, Senpai."

"Uh…okay." Thankfully, she didn't question that outburst much. I honestly had no idea how I would explain it. It surprised me, too.

_Seriously, though. Why __**DID**__ I react like that?_

It wasn't that long of a self-tour when we found a small lounge area on the first floor. It kinda looked like a miniature living room with tables, chairs, couches, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. There were also a few vending machines, too. So, it wasn't an **EXACT** copy of a living room.

_Not with that selection, at least._

"Well, this looks kinda cozy." I said.

"Yeah, it does. Maybe we can relax here a little bit or…"

"A-Akiyama-senpai. S-Suzuki-senpai." We heard someone call out our names. And since there was a stutter for both, it just had to be…

"Oh. Mikuru-san." Mio-senpai said as we went over to Mikuru, who was also with Yui-san, her friend Sachiko, and that Yuri kid.

_Still can't believe she's only 13. Her breasts are __**HUGE**__!_

…

_B-Bigger than mine. Unfortunately…_

"I was wondering why you weren't in the room with the others. You were down here?"

"Y-Yes. I was getting to know Yuri-san a little more and…th-the two of us became great friends."

"Yep! The two of us are super great friends!" Yuri cheered as she wrapped her arm around Mikuru.

"Well, good for you, Mikuru-san."

"It's also nice for Yuri to make more friends." Sachiko said. "Other than Risa, she doesn't have that much city friends."

"Who's Risa?" I asked.

"Rise's little sister."

…

…

…

"M-Matsumoto-senpai has a little sister?" We both asked in shock.

"Yep." Yui-san said. "And she's just as rambunctious as Yuri. The two are a perfect match."

"Huh." Was all we said.

_That's really shocking. I honestly thought that Matsumoto-senpai was the younger sister. __Don't judge a book by its cover, I guess._

"So, you got affected by the rain too, huh?" Mio-senpai asked Yui-san.

"Yeah. Can't really do much in terms of practice. Especially with my status in the music industry. _It truly sucks hiding my second identity._"

"But you've proven time and time again that you suck at doing it. So, it's actually fine." Sachiko said.

"Shut it, you." Yui-san grew a little pissed. "Anyway, everyone's just doing their own thing for today. Kyouko and Chinatsu are on a small date together and Akari's watching TV back in the room we all share. While the three of us decided to come here and relax. Then we ran into Mikuru here."

"W-We were actually about to play a game. W-Would you like to join us?" Mikuru asked.

"Sure, I'm game." I said. "Whatcha playing?"

"**UNO!**" Yuri cheered as she held up a deck of UNO cards.

"Yuri's favorite game. She plays it constantly." Sachiko added.

"_Ooh~!_ I haven't played this game in **years**! I'm totally in!"

"What about you, Mio?" Yui-san asked.

"Well, I would, but…what exactly is UNO?"

"**WHAT?! YOU NEVER HEARD OF UNO?! IT'S LIKE THE BEST GAME EVER!**"

"Y-Yuri-san, please calm down. N-Not that many people know what that is." Mikuru said to her.

"It's a shedding-type card game from America." Yui-san said. "The objective is to be the first to get rid of your deck of cards by matching the current card in the middle."

"And when ya got one card left, ya gotta yell out "**UNO!**" before ya place it." Yuri added.

"Why?"

"Because them's the rules. Otherwise, ya get penalized for it."

"P-Penalized?" Mio-senpai began to panic.

"All you really do is draw 2 cards." Yui-san said.

"O-Oh. I see. Sounds safe."

"When you get rid of your last card, or "going out" as the game calls it, your opponent's cards are tallied up together. First to 500 points wins the whole game."

"There are other rules, too. Such as Progressive UNO, 7-0 UNO, and Jump-In. But those are for more experienced players, honestly." Sachiko added.

"W-Wow. Th-That sounds really interesting." Mikuru said.

"You two sure know a lot about this game." Mio-senpai said.

"Yuri often makes us play with her. As I said, it's her favorite game."

"I see."

"Well, I said I was in." I said. "You wanna play, Senpai?"

"Uh…sure. I'll give it a try."

"**Alright!**" Yuri cheered. "**Imma so gonna beat ya all! **_**Hahahaha!**_"

"Calm down, you rambunctious loon." Sachiko said with a sweatdrop.

* * *

About 30 minutes later, we finished a couple of rounds. And the results were as followed:

Mio-senpai had 93 points.

I had 116 points.

Mikuru had 124 points.

Yui-san had 229 points.

Sachiko had 350 points.

And Yuri had…500 points.

The fact that I lost to a 13-year-old at a simple card game stung me harder than a bee. And I had no idea how any of this was possible, to begin with.

_I know they said that it's her favorite game. But still, I didn't think I would lose __**THIS**__ badly to her! My freaking pride is pretty much gone at this point!_

"_Ugh. No more. I can't take this nonsense anymore…_" I whined as I laid face-first onto the table.

"I-I must say, Yuri-san…you are really good at this game." Mikuru said.

"Hehheh. Yep! I'm the best UNO player there is! No City Girl can me! _Hahaha!_"

_City Girl?_

"No one likes a bragger, Yuri." Sachiko said to her.

"So, how'd you like the game, Mio? Is it any fun?" Yui-san asked her.

"Well…there are still a few things I don't really get. But all in all, it is really fun. Probably the first game I've ever enjoyed."

"The first? You don't play games, Senpai?" I asked.

"Not really. I kinda find them to be a nuisance. Mainly because of Ritsu playing them instead of doing any work. _And yet, she wonders why I keep hitting her._"

"I see…"

"But…I guess I can let this one game sly. It was rather fun. Oh, and…thanks for helping me out those few times, Jun. I really appreciate it."

"U-Uh…s-sure thing, Senpai. A-Always glad to help. Hehheh." I immediately started blushing from getting grateful remarks from a Senpai. It's something that rarely happens to a typical kōhai like me. Especially if it's coming from an upperclassman like Mio-senpai.

_It's words any kōhai would treasure forever. Hah~…_

…

…

…

_**W-W-Wait! Hold on! I-I'm not saying I would do such a thing! I-I don't think of Mio-Senpai that way! Honest, I don't!**_

…

_M-Maybe…_

_***Growl***_

"_Oh, man. I'm getting hungry._" Yuri said while holding her stomach.

"Didn't you eat breakfast, Yuri?" Sachiko asked.

"No. The line was too long and by the time I got to the counter they were sold out of everything. _It truly sucked._"

"Yeah…that happens when you stay at a fancy hotel like this." Yui-san said.

"Well, lunch is about to be severed." Mio-senpai said. "I could take Yuri-san with me."

"Really? You don't mind?"

"I haven't eaten yet, either. So, I was going to go down there myself."

"I see."

"Do you want to come too, Mikuru-san? I'll help you around."

"U-Um…s-sure. I-I am…r-rather hungry myself." Mikuru said with her anxiety clearly showing itself.

_She should really get that taken care of…_

"Eh. I guess I'll come, too. I am getting hungry." Sachiko said. "Wanna come, Yui?"

"Uh…no, I'm fine. I'll eat something later."

"What, on another diet or something? You really wanna keep that stereotypical hourglass figure, huh?"

"**N-No! Sh-Shut up! I-It's not stereotypical!**" Yui-san began to blush.

"Yeah, yeah. See ya in a few." The four girls then left the lounge to go get something to eat. Leaving me alone with the J-Pop idol that I adore so much but didn't know I was already friends with.

_I'm still rather shocked about that, by the way._

"_***sigh***_ Geez. I didn't think I would get my ass handled by a 13-year-old in a simple card game. That kid's really good."

"Yeah, she is." Yui-san said. "Although, UNO isn't really a simple game once you know all the rules it has."

"I guess."

All conversation went dead silent for a bit. Not because it was awkward or anything. We just didn't have anything to talk about.

Or…so I thought.

"So, um…you and Mio seem to be good friends with each other."

"Huh? Well…yeah, I guess. Even though I met her through Azusa, the two of us get along well." I then went silent for a bit. "That is whenever we get together. We're still rather separated on the whole kōhai/senpai thing."

"I see."

"Why bring this up, anyway?"

"Well…I just saw how you two were comfortable together during the game and it made me think about it a little. No biggie."

"Huh." I shrugged it off.

Although…probably a bit too soon. Because what Yui-san would say next was something I **DEFINITELY **wasn't prepared for.

"But honestly, Jun. I gotta ask one thing."

"What's that?"

"Do you…love Mio?"

And at that moment, my face went pale as I kept replaying that out-of-nowhere question in my shocked as hell mind. I felt my face burning up due to the excessive blushing I was currently doing.

Until finally…I spoke.

"**WH-WH-WH-WH-WH-WHAAAAAAAT?! WH-WH-WH-WH-WH-WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?! H-HOW DID YOU EVEN COME TO THAT CONCLUSION?!**"

And it wasn't exactly a calm response.

"Well, when you were helping her out during the game you were rather close to her. And with a bunch of other things I noticed, the belief just kept getting bigger."

"**B-Belief in what?! There's nothing to believe! I don't see Mio-senpai that way and I'm not a lesbian!**"

"Really? You're saying this to a girl, who's been a lesbian since the day she was created in a manga over a decade ago?"

"**Th-This is no time for a 4****th**** wall break!**"

"Just admit it, Jun. It won't do you any good if you keep it in."

…

…

…

"W-Well…I-I have been…th-thinking about it. R-Recently." I finally admitted it.

"Recently?"

"W-Well, not exactly recently, but…it started back during Christmas when Azusa got together with Miharu-senpai. I made this comment that since we're a bunch of teenage girls who go to an all-girls high school there should've been a lesbian among us a long time ago."

"_That sounds like something Chitose would say…_"

"What?"

"N-Nothing. Please continue."

"Okay…" I shrugged it off. "…Anyway, once I said that, Nodoka-senpai said that she was surprised that it was Azusa and not me. And that's when I found out that everyone believed that I was a lesbian."

"Everyone?"

"Yeah. Everyone. It was a total surprise for me. I never thought I even looked like the lesbian type."

"_And just what is this "lesbian type"?_" Yui-san grew insulted.

"S-Sorry." I gained a sweatdrop.

"_***sigh***_ Anyway, what happened after that?"

"Nothing much, really. It was just life as I knew it for the past four months. Although…the thought of me actually being gay did come up a few times. And I would spend nights thinking about the possibility of it being true. With no success, of course."

"I see."

"And then today came. With it raining so hard and everyone else doing whatever, I suggested to Mio-senpai that the two of us do something together for once. And when she agreed to it…I-I honestly felt my heart skip a few beats. I was _**that**_ happy. Shockingly." I then went silent again.

"There's more, isn't there?" Yui-san asked.

"Well…even if I do accept the fact that I'm gay, who's to say that Mio-senpai will feel the same way towards me? I feel like this whole thing is going to be unrequited and I'll be lonely and heartbroken. And I guess that's what's blocking me from deciding."

"I see. I think I understand it all now."

"Hey, Yui-san. I know I already asked this, but…why did you bring this up? It seems kinda random don't you think?"

"Well…to be honest, Jun…I'm in the same boat as you."

"R-Really?" I was totally shocked to hear this. "W-With who?"

"W-With Sachiko."

"Sachiko? You have feelings for her?"

"Yeah. But the thing is…she's straight."

"Ouch. So then, your love will always be unrequited, huh?"

"Yeah. But I've gotten used to it by now. In fact, it's done some good for me in my life."

"Really? How so?"

Yui-san looked to both of her sides and then signaled me to come closer. Making sure that no one could hear her.

"I've never told anyone this, but Sachiko's the reason why I became Lyrica."

"S-Seriously? Because of Sachiko?"

"Yeah…the love of my life is the reason why I sing to hundreds of thousands of people all across the country. Sounds kinda cheesy, doesn't it?"

"_***giggle***_ Well, when you put it like that, it actually does." I then thought for a moment. "But at the same time, it's also kinda sweet. Romantic, even."

"R…Romantic, huh?" Yui-san began to blush on her own. Probably fantasizing of doing romantic stuff with Sachiko.

…

And I…I can honestly feel her pain.

_D-Does that mean…th-that I've accepted my own feelings?_

"Hey, y'all. We're back." Sachiko said as the group of girls came back with some food.

"We didn't know what to get you two. So, we got each of you a mini-boxed lunch." Mio-senpai said.

"Eh. Fine with me." I said.

With us eating our food, I noticed the single slice of cake sitting between me and Mio-senpai. And as I kept staring at it, I did get curious.

"Hey, who's cake is this?"

"O-Oh, um…" Mio-senpai stuttered a little. "…I-I actually got that cake for you, Jun."

"F-For me?"

"Just as a way to thank you for helping me during the game. And for inviting me out here, to begin with. I really had fun with you, Jun."

"R-Really?!" I grew a huge blush before finding the sanity to calm down. "W-Well…I-I'm glad you had fun, Mio-senpai. A-And thanks for the cake." I then took a piece of the cake and moaned due to its sweet flavor. "And it's strawberry cheesecake, too? _Aw, this is the best._"

"_***giggle***_ You're very much welcome, Jun." Mio-senpai said with a smile.

"_Psst. Hey, Yui. What's with those two?_" Sachiko asked her.

"_Eh. It isn't too much to think about, Sachiko._" This was all Yui-san said to her. Leaving her unrequited crush with a confused look on her face as I had one huge smile on mine.

…

And I honestly think it's more than just the cake.

_**Author's Note:**_** Unrequited love and UNO. I think it's a great pair. Nothing wrong with that.**

**This whole chapter was going to strictly be about UNO. But midway through I changed it up a bit. Mainly because of the game's complicated advance rules. It became kinda hard to explain it all without making the chapter too long. Hell, there were somethings that I didn't even know about the game myself.**

**So, I'm not entirely sure if Jun having some feelings for Mio is actually canon or it's just something the fanbase made up but didn't go anywhere. But it's something I'm going to experiment with in this story. It's too interesting and "out-of-the-norm" for me to just push to the side after mentioning it once. It could work, you know.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	27. The Irregular Trio

**Chapter 27 – The Irregular Trio**

**Azusa's POV**

"_***yawn***_ Ah, man. I haven't slept that good in a long time. _Miharu-senpai is just so snuggly._ _***giggle***_"

It was currently 1:36 in the afternoon and after I had just woken up for the day, I made myself look somewhat decent before heading for the hotel café to get something to eat. It was just me. As both Mugi-senpai and Miharu-senpai wanted to bathe first.

I-I would've joined them…b-but…u-unlike _**those**_ two, I'm not exactly…proud of my body.

_***sigh***__ I'm almost 17 and I'm still flat as a freaking board. Like seriously, what the hell, life?_

***SOUND OF RAIN HITTING THE ROOF***

"Geez, the rain's hitting hard out there. No doubt it's gonna delay us badly. Wonder if we'll actually get to perform at this festival. _Hmm…_"

_***Growl***_

"…Well, that will just have to wait for now. _I'm so starving~._"

It took me a while to find the café even with the signs pointing the way. This place is just so big that I couldn't help but to get lost a few times. I think I even ended up on the top floor at one point.

Don't ask how. I don't know, either.

But I did eventually find it. And as I walked in, thinking of what to eat from whatever they had, I saw someone I recognized sitting at one of the tables. Talking to someone else on a computer, from what it looks like.

_Wonder what she's up to…_

"Hey, Akari. Whatcha up to?" I asked as I walked up to my one-eyed friend.

"Oh hey, Azusa. I was just about to call you. Look who I got on video chat."

"Video chat?" I then looked at the screen to see who it was. "Oh hey, Tsukasa."

"_Azusa? You're in Okinawa, too? __***whine***__ No way!_" On the screen was oddly enough Tsukasa. Wearing her shrine maiden outfit that we can partially see.

"We ran into each other while we were with Yui for her "special gig"." Akari said. "Apparently, they got a spot, too."

"_Aw. Now not only am I gonna miss a Lyrica concert but I don't get to hang out with you guys, either. This Golden Week truly blows._"

"What are you doing, anyway?" I asked.

"_I had to come back home to help out with the shrine. Golden Week is one of the busiest holidays for it. Especially with this year being 10 days long._"

"Wait, _come back home_? Where were you?"

"Don't you remember?" Akari asked me. "I told you that Tsukasa was attending Shinohara for a year."

…

"Oh, yeah. I remember." I said after thinking about it.

"Anyway…you really had to go back?" Akari then asked Tsukasa. "Your sisters couldn't do it themselves?"

"_You would think._" Tsukasa's face turned exasperated."_But when you have three older sisters…one being extremely carefree, one being hot-headed and lazy, and one being a gullible tsundere…not that much work gets done around here._"

"Huh…" Akari and I gained a mildly huge sweatdrop.

"_Who are you calling a gullible tsundere?_" We heard a voice coming from the background.

"_O-Onee-chan! Were you spying on my conversations again?!_"

"_N-No! I-I was just walking by! Who are you talking to anyway?_" It was then that the owner of said voice came on screen. "_Oh. Akari and Azusa._"

"H-Hey, Kagami…" Our sweatdrops only grew from there.

"_So, you guys are in Okinawa for Golden Week, huh? That's pretty interesting._"

"_So, you were listening…_" Tsukasa said.

"_I-I was not, okay?! Just drop it already!_"

"We were here for separate reasons. But we just happen to run into each other yesterday." I explained.

"_I see. Well, you two have fun. Come on, Tsukasa. Back to work._"

"_Huh? But I just got on break._"

"_Your break was 15 minutes ago! I had to come looking for you and here you are hiding behind a tree!_"

"_Well, can you blame me? I just wanted to chillax and enjoy chattin' with my peeps, ya dig?_"

"_What?_"

It was at this point that Akari and I looked away from the computer screen trying to prevent ourselves from laughing hysterically. Unfortunately, though…we didn't do a good enough job for Kagami to not notice.

"_Hey, you two. Quit teaching Tsukasa these weird as hell slangs._"

"It's not just us." Akari said. "I mean, I got a lot of them from Sakurako."

"_***sigh***__ Of freaking course._" Kagami facepalmed.

"Y'know, you seem to be stressed out, Kagami." I said. "And I mean more than usual."

"_You don't say. Well, in case Tsukasa hasn't told you…Golden Week is one of the busiest holidays for us. So many people here want to see tours and make prayers and whatnot._"

"Sounds like a lot of work." Akari said.

"_It is. And hopefully, I'll get it all done. Just as long as a certain blue nuisance doesn't show up randomly._"

"You mean your lover?"

"_You mean your lover?_" We all asked.

"_Wh-Wh-Wha?! Sh-She is not…D-Don't get the wrong idea! It's not like I actually have feelings for Kona!_"

"Who the hell is Kona?" Akari and I asked.

"_Tch! I-I mean…__**Gah! Forget it! I'm outta here!**_" Kagami finally left our sight with a huge blush of embarrassment on her face. Something that happens a lot.

"Basic." We all said.

"_**I heard that, damnit!**_"

"_Well, I better get back to work before Onee-chan gets on me again. Have fun on your trip, you guys._"

"See ya, Tsukasa." Both of us said before the screen cut to the desktop wallpaper. Ending the video chat.

"Well, that was fun." I said. "Then it got mildly uncomfortable before going back to being fun."

"_***giggle***_ Yeah, I guess." Akari said. "Oh. So, what were you doing before you came over here?"

"What was I doing? Uh…"

_***Growl***_

"_O-Oh, yeah…I forgot that I was hungry._" I whined as I held my empty stomach.

"Huh. Well, there's still a few minutes left until the lunch rush ends. Let's see if there's still some food left."

"_***sigh***_ They better. I haven't eaten since last night."

"Last night? What did you do when you left suddenly yesterday?"

"Uh…well…"

…

…

…

"It's a **LONG** story, Akari." Was all I said to her.

_**Author's Note:**_** This is just a filler chapter. Nothing much to it. But the story will go on a break for a bit. Just to give attention to others. **

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	28. Mugi's Moonstruck Melody

**Chapter 28 – Mugi's Moonstruck Melody**

**Mugi's POV**

The rain had stopped by the time the next day came along. So today, we were going to get some practice in. A request made by Mio-chan but Ricchan and Yui-chan tried to fight it off.

You know, the usual.

As for me, I had just woken up for the day and was brushing my teeth while staring at the mirror. Mainly at my bleached blonde hair and reddish-orange eyes.

_It's been a couple of days since I got this new look. But honestly…I want my old look back. I know that the reason I look like this is because of the current situation I'm in, but…_

…

_What the hell? Why haven't I run my parents, yet? I mean, I know that they probably don't know that I'm here. But the fact that we explored Okinawa and currently staying in a hotel __**this**__ fancy…I should've run into them a long time ago. But instead, I'm on this 2-day streak of being lucky. Even though, I didn't leave the room at all yesterday._

_I don't want to ever part ways with Miharu. But at the same time…this stupid feud can't go on much longer. I'm flat out sick of it._

_I guess the only thing left to do is…_

***KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK***

"Hey, Mugi! Hurry up in there! We're all waiting on you!"

"S-Sorry! I-I'll be right out!" I yelled. Then took a sigh of relief from having my inner thoughts interrupted so suddenly.

_Damn. I think that was the first time I ever got jumpscared…_

I looked back into the mirror and gained a determined look on my face. Extremely confident about what I was going to do once I get the chance.

_Yes…this is what I'm going to do. For now, though…I can only hope that it goes well._

* * *

I finally got out of the bathroom and joined up with the other bandmates. From what I heard, the other girls went to go on one of those tours around the island. So, they were already gone by the time I woke up.

Thing is, it wasn't just them. The Takaoka Girls (minus Sachiko-san and Yuri-san. My guess is that they went on the tour, as well) were in the room, too. Which could only mean that something is being planned right now.

_I can only hope that it's not too insane…_

"Geez, there you are, Mugi." Miharu said to me as I sat down next to her. "First, you're the last to wake up and then you take forever in the bathroom. I didn't take you to be the mellow type."

"I must be getting it from you." I replied as I tied my hair into the ponytail. "Since you tend to the same on Sundays and holidays."

"True. Can't deny that."

"You know, Mugi. I've been meaning to ask. What's with the light hair and orange-like eyes?" Chinatsu-chan asked.

"Yeah, it's kinda weird how you changed your appearance so suddenly." Kyouko-chan added.

"Um…well…I just thought that should change it up for the new year. No big deal."

"Hmm…I guess that makes sense."

"In a way, it's like how we changed right, Kyouko?" Akari-chan asked.

"Please." Mio-chan said. "If anything, Mugi's new look is far more normal than what you two have."

"_Well, it's not like we had any control over it, Mio…_" Both girls said with a pissed off look.

"Anyway…why the sudden invitation, Ritsu?" Yui-san asked. Meanwhile, Ricchan had a small grin on her face. From the looks of it, she's been **DYING** to get what she wants to say out of her mouth.

"_Hehhehheh._ Well, listen up, girls. I've got the most brilliant idea I've ever come up with."

"Aw, geez." Azusa-chan said with a facepalm. "Can't we go on one miscellaneous adventure without you dragging us into one of your nonsensical plots?"

"What? How are they nonsensical?"

"Do I _**really**_ need to explain it?"

"_***giggle***_ Sucks for you, Azusa." Akari-chan said. "Our nonsensical madness ended when Kyouko became a sensitive child. We sure have it easy now."

"_I'll hit you._" This was said by both Azusa-chan and Kyouko-chan. Granted, for different reasons.

"So, does no one want to hear me out?" Ricchan asked. "I'm telling ya, it's my greatest one yet."

"Define "great"." Azusa-chan retorted.

"Azu-nyan, don't be mean. Let's hear Ricchan out."

"At least _**someone**_ has faith in me…" Ricchan said due to Yui-chan's encouragement.

"_***sigh***_ Fine. I give. What's this _**wonderful**_ idea of yours, Ritsu-senpai?"

"_She's still annoyed, isn't she?_" Miharu whispered to me.

"_Azusa-chan isn't the type of person to agree to nonsensical plots._" I whispered back.

"_I see…_"

"Okay, girls. Hear me out. Since the festival's in 3 days and we're both taking part in it, I came up with the brilliant idea of us doing a collab together."

"A collab?" None of us understood where this was going.

"Ritsu, what are you talking about?" Mio-chan asked.

"I mean…why don't we, Hō-kago Tea Time, perform at the music festival with Lyrica?"

"P-Perform with Lyrica?!" Most of us reacted with shock.

"**Oh, my God! Yes! Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, YEEEEEEESSSS! Come on, Come on, Come on! Let's do it, Let's do it, LET'S DO IIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!**"

"**Yui! Calm the hell down!**" Miharu yelled at the fangirling Yui-chan.

"Perform with Lyrica? Ritsu, is that even possible?" Mio-chan asked.

"Why ask, Mio? We have her sitting with us in this very room." We all then looked at Yui-san to hear her response to this.

"W-Well…it's an interesting idea. But…not to sound cocky or anything, but you girls would definitely be overshadowed by me."

"She has a point." Chinatsu-chan said. "Yui's a J-Pop idol famous all across the country. You six are nothing more than a high school rock band. Nobody's gonna care about you girls."

"Wow. Way to be blunt, Chinatsu." Ricchan retorted.

"_Yui-san._" Yui-chan whined. "Isn't there a way to perform with you and still get recognized?"

"The only thing I can think of that might work is that one of you sing with me. Other than that, I got nothing."

"S-Sing with you?" Mio-chan asked.

"Oh! My! **GOD!**" Yui-chan cheered to her heart's content. "**Such a dream come true! I'll definitely sing with you, Yui-san!**"

"_She's so excited that she already decided for all of us._" Ricchan whispered.

"_B-Better her than me._" Mio-chan whispered.

"Wait, hold on!" Chinatsu-chan yelled. "I'm just as big of a Lyrica fan as Yui-senpai is! Shouldn't I be considered as Lyrica's duet singer?!"

"Hell no." And Akari-chan responded almost immediately.

"**What?! Why so cruel, Akari?!**"

"Because you're terrible at anything that involves being creative. Writing, drawing, cooking, sewing…you even make a simple dot look like a monstrosity from Hell."

"It honestly puts Iyo-senpai's horror drawings to shame sometimes." Kyouko-chan added.

"W-Well, all of those involved using my hands. I'm sure my mouth is vastly different and that I can sing."

"300 yen says you can't." Azusa-chan said as she held up the money.

"**Sc-Screw you!**"

"So, what song are we gonna sing together, Yui-san?" Yui-chan asked. "I bet it's gonna be one of your hits, huh?"

"Hey, nobody said it was going to be you, you know! Let a _**true**_ Lyrica fan show her stuff!"

"Chinatsu, just give it up already…" Kyouko-chan said with a facepalm.

"Um…actually, guys. I already decided on who would be best for the spot."

"You did?" We all asked.

"**It's me, right?! It's definitely me!**" Yui-chan shouted.

"**No, it's me! I'm definitely singing with her!**" Chinatsu-chan shouted.

"Please just pick one, Yui-san. I'm starting to get a headache." Mio-chan complained.

Now, what's about to be said is undoubtedly the most blindsided I've ever been in my life.

And I say "me" because…

"Well…I actually want Mugi to sing with me."

"**What?!**" Most of the girls yelled.

"**Mugi?!**" Yui-chan and Chinatsu-chan yelled.

"**M-M-Me?! B-B-But, why?! A-All I do is play a freaking keyboard!**"

"That may be true, Mugi…but _**damn**_, you have such an amazing singing voice! I overheard you singing in the hot springs yesterday and I almost cried emotional tears!"

"Really? You can sing, Mugi?" Ricchan asked.

"That's a first for me." Mio-chan said.

"Now that I think about it, you really are a good singer, Mugi." Miharu said.

"You really are, Mugi-senpai. Way better than I am." Azusa-chan added.

_That's because you two were the only people that's ever heard me sing._

…

_A-At least, I thought it was just you two…_

"Hmm…I don't believe it. I need proof." Chinatsu-chan said.

"Me too." Yui-chan added. "Mugi-chan singing sounds just as unbelievable as Azu-nyan saying that she doesn't look like a cat."

"_Je ne ressemble pas à un chat, bon sang._" Azusa-chan grumbled in French.

"You kinda do." Miharu said.

"Well, if this is true, then I definitely want to hear it for myself." Ricchan said.

"Yeah. Come on, Mugi. Sing for us a little." Akari-chan added.

"B-But I really don't…_***sigh***_ Fine. Just to get this over with." After giving in, I took a quick deep breath and prepared my already thought-filled mind to sing a song in front of my friends. A thing that I thought I would never do.

Much like a lot of things, recently.

* * *

_(Quick Note: To follow along with the song, search up the following on YouTube: __**Moonstruck Blossom (Kirby: Triple Deluxe) Vocal Cover Remix – itoki hana**__)_

* * *

_Aa, totemo nagai yume o, mite ita..._

_Imada doko kara ka, goe ga kikoete kuru_

_Jikan no you no, sure nukete iku,_

_Watashi no namae o, oi kakeru._

_Tsubomi kara, hana e sana gikara, chou e_

_Nandodemo sugata katachi kae anata no me e_

_Kagami yo kagami, watashi wa dare?_

_Nandodemo kotaete miseru umarekawaru_

_Utsukushii mono ga aisa rerunara_

_Anata no sono hitomi o ubaeru no nara_

_Sono atatakai te o douka sashinobete hoshii_

_Sonomama aa, tsuresatte. _

_Kono yoru ga akeru, mae ni..._

_Aa, totemo nagai yume o mite ita_

_Watashi no namae ga, kigou no you ni hibiku_

_Umarete kiete shimawanai you,_

_Anata no koe o, oi kakeru._

_Tsubomi kara, hana e sa nagi kara, hachi e_

_Nandodemo sugata katachi kae anata no me e_

_Kagami yo kagami, watashi wa dare?_

_Nandodemo kotaete miseru, umarekawaru_

_Utsukushii mono ga todashii no, nara_

_Anata no sono kokoro o ubaeru no, nara_

_Sono atatakai te de douka dakitomete hoshii_

_Sonomama aa, nemura sete. _

_Kono yoru ga akeru, mae ni..._

_Aa, wakatteta noni_

_Eien nante, dokoni mo nakatta, koto_

_Kareru koto nai gana ni, naritakatta..._

_Sono utsukushii te yo, zutto ki yora ka de, ite_

_Kagami yo, watashi wadaare._

_Aa, yoru ga akete iku..._

* * *

"_***sigh***__ Geez, that was embarrassing._ So, how was that?"

I waited for a response from the 9 other girls in the room, who were only staring at me with ginormous looks of shock on their faces.

"Uh…hello?"

"M-Mugi…**H-Holy crap, that was amazing!**" Miharu yelled out.

"Was it really? I don't really think it's…"

"Miharu-senpai's right! You're really really good, Mugi-senpai!" Azusa-chan cheered.

"I haven't bee this blown away since I heard Yui sing for the first time." Akari-chan said.

"Right? I never thought I could feel the same shock twice in my life." Kyouko-chan added.

"_***sniff***__ G-Geez, Mugi. Y-You actually got me __***sniff***__ i-into tears._" Mio-chan was trying to stop crying but wasn't having much luck.

"I think it's pretty good. What about you two?" Ricchan asked Chinatsu-chan and Yui-chan.

"_D-Damnit. No way in hell I can compete with a voice like that._"

"_I can sing a little. But nothing compared to that. __***sigh***__ I give. You win the battle, Mugi-chan._"

_Y-Yui-chan, what battle are you talking about?_ I gained a sweatdrop.

"See? I told you all she was good." Yui-san said. "So, Mugi. What do you say?"

"_***sigh***_ Well…can I think about it? I've got too much stuff on my mind to give an answer right now."

"Well, we got three days. Hopefully, you'll have an answer by then."

"I promise I will." I then got up from the floor and headed for the door. "Now, if you excuse me, I have something to do."

"Huh? W-Wait, Mugi. What about practice?" Mio-chan asked.

"I'll be back. Just…start without me." This is what I said to them before leaving the room and closing the door behind me.

Once I was far enough from the room (as in dead-center in the lobby), I took out my phone and made a call. A specific one that could make my current life better or worse. Depending on the outcome.

"Hello? Sumire? Meet me at the café near the hotel."

"_Uh…sure thing,_ _Ojōsama. B-But may I ask what for?_"

I went silent for a bit. Then took a deep long breath before telling Sumire the reason for this sudden request.

"Sumire…I wish to meet with my father."

_**Author's Note:**_** With all the stuff rumbling in her mind, Mugi unintentionally reveals a secret talent of hers. A singing voice that can make even the toughest girls cry.**

**But, as you read in the ending, that's the least of her problems.**

**So, here's a story about the song I chose to reference. For some strange reason, I've been addicted to listening to many different versions of Moonstruck Blossom recently. And this particular one has to be my favorite one yet. It makes the song more depressing than the original and that's even without the added lyrics. I listen to it multiple times whenever I get the chance to. It's just that good.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	29. The Childhood of the Mistress & Servant

**Chapter 29 – The Childhood of the Mistress & Servant **

**Sumire's POV**

"Ojōsama…are you sure about this?"

"Trust me, Sumire. I did a lot of thinking over this. It has to end. Today, if all possible."

"I…I-I see…"

I did not know what to think when Ojōsama requested me to meet her at the café near the hotel. Saying that she wishes to speak with her father once more.

To be honest, I was a little worried.

I was deeply aware of the feud Ojōsama was having with Kotobuki-sama. And for the longest time, my thoughts on the matter were rather split.

I truly am disgusted with how Ojōsama and Miharu-Ojōsama became sisters. And because of that (plus a bit of jealousy) that I hated Miharu-Ojōsama at first. I wanted Ojōsama to stop acting like a child and return to the mansion to apologize. And forget about Miharu-Ojōsama for good.

But at the same time…I have never seen Ojōsama so happy before. It was like Miharu-Ojōsama was that missing key in her heart to turn her output on life for the better.

As a maid, my main job is to make my mistress happy. And honestly…those two finally meeting each other was the only happiness she ever needed.

I am not entirely sure who to side with. The mistress that I grew up and served for most of my life…even calling her Onee-chan before any of this ever started. Or her farther…the head of the family and has the absolute say in everything.

This event may be just as nerve-wracking for me as it will be for Ojōsama.

_And all I can really do is hope that it ends on a happy note._

"W-Well…I am sure it will work out, Ojōsama. And shall be there too if you need any help."

"Thank you, Sumire…but I want to do this on my own. I only called you just so you can get my parents to meet with me."

"H-Huh? O-Ojōsama, why would you…"

"Sumire…be honest with me. You told them that I was going to Okinawa, didn't you?"

"Wh-What?! Ojōsama, I would never do something so immoral to you as to…"

"Sumire…"

…

…

…

"_***sigh***_ O-Okay. Yes, I did. It was an order made by your father." I admitted in a defeated tone.

"I see. I always had that feeling in the back of my mind." Ojōsama then went silent for a bit.

"Ojōsama…"

"They should be here any minute now, right? Thank you, Sumire. You may leave now."

…

I wanted to refuse. I really did. Ojōsama clearly needs help in this dire time…meeting with her parents after six months of being estranged with them…I wanted to stay. But to disobey an order from your master or mistress is basically a one-way trip to a crappy life.

And I didn't want to risk it.

"Y…Yes, Ojōsama." I finally said with a bow before departing from the café. Leaving her to deal with an ordeal that has been troubling her since the day she was told about having a half-sister over a year and a half ago.

…

…

…

Or…at least, that was the plan.

Once Ojōsama turned around, I quickly made a mad dash to the nearest building and hid behind the corner. Being ever so cautious for her to not notice me.

_My deepest apologies, Ojōsama. But I cannot leave you behind this time. I am doing this to look after not only you, but…but to also…_

"Sumire?"

"**Eeek! M-Miharu-Ojōsama?!**" I yelled in a panic when I saw the one person I was just thinking about suddenly appeared in front of me. I then quickly dragged her behind the building before Ojōsama could possibly notice her.

_Me and my easily startled self…_

"M-Miharu-Ojōsama! Wh-What are you doing here?!"

"We just finished practicing a little so I came out here looking for Mugi. You know where she is?"

"W-Well…yes, I do. But…"

_Damn your extremely bad timing…_

"L-Look, Miharu-Ojōsama. You need to leave. Now."

"Huh? Why? You said you know where Mugi is, didn't you?"

"I do know. And that is why you need to leave. Things could get worse if you are around."

"If I'm around? Sumire, what are you talking about? Where's Mugi?"

_She is not going to understand unless I tell her. I am sorry for this,_ _Ojōsama._

"_***sigh***_ Miharu-Ojōsama…Ojōsama is meeting with her parents."

"Wh-What? Seriously?"

"She wants this family feud to end. As it brings her nothing but stress and unhappiness."

"Stress? Unhappiness?"

"Surely, you have noticed this, correct?"

Miharu-Ojōsama went silent as she lowed her head down in sadness.

"Y…Yeah. I've noticed. Since day freaking one on Labor Thanksgiving. She hated the fact that she was all alone simply because she wanted me in her life. I may not understand why her parents are so adamant about keeping me out…but whatever the reason is, Mugi's the one suffering. Not me."

"And you did not do anything about it?"

"As if I could do anything about it. I never knew until the night Mugi blurted it out in my face. And she knew a year in advance. How was I supposed to help her when I was in the dark about it longer than she was?"

"You do possess a point…" I said with a sigh.

"So, Mugi's really going to confront her parents, huh? I wonder how it's going to play out."

"I wonder that myself. which is why I stayed here instead of heading back to the hotel as Ojōsama ordered me to. I feel so ashamed."

"Well, I'm sure you had your reasons. You're just as worried about Mugi as I am, aren't you?"

"How can I not? She is my Onee-chan. I-I mean Ojōsama! _Geez, I cannot believe I said it again…_" I blushed from the embarrassment I gained from saying such a thing. Especially in from of Miharu-Ojōsama.

_Who, let us be honest here, is her true sister. Not a fake such as myself._

"Hey, Sumire. I've been meaning to ask…what was Mugi's childhood like?"

"Ojōsama's…childhood?"

"I mean…you've been serving her since you both were kids, right? Surely you know what she was like back then, right?"

"Well…yes. I do. But why do you want to know?"

"It's just…something that's been on my mind lately."

"I see."

We both went silent for a bit as the topic of this conversation made the atmosphere quite awkward.

"Well…if you truly want to know, let us go somewhere else and talk about it. I really do not want Ojōsama to catch me spying on her."

"Oh, yeah. Mugi would be really pissed if she knew we were here. Though, who would get it worse? Me or you?"

"Please. You would simply get a simple scolding while I would lose my livelihood. Disobeying your master or mistress is heavily frowned upon in the wealthy community."

"Well, damn. Rich people are total pricks, huh?"

"For once, I can totally agree with you, Miharu-Ojōsama." I gained an exasperated sweatdrop.

* * *

The two of us didn't go that far. Mainly, another café that was near the beach. just so that Ojōsama wouldn't catch us and accuse us of spying on her. Even though that was my original intent.

After we each ordered a smoothie, I was mentally preparing myself to tell Miharu-Ojōsama what it was like growing up with Ojōsama. There's honestly so much to remember. I hope that I can tell it all correctly.

"I have been living with the Kotobuki family since…pretty much since I was born. And the Saitō family has been serving the Kotobuki family since even before that. But back then, I didn't understand that part. And I saw Ojōsama as an older sister. Which is why "Onee-chan" would sometimes slip out of my mouth."

"Woah…so, you were like the original sister. But then I came along and took your spot, huh?"

"Well technically, this "spot" in question was not mine, to begin with."

"Huh?" Miharu-Ojōsama was confused.

"My family originated in Austria. And when we were brought to Japan by the Kotobukis, we were forced to change our last name. Unfortunately, I do not know much about my Austrian side. So, I cannot tell you what that was."

"I see."

"Anyway…As a child, Ojōsama was receiving special education for gifted children. She rarely left home and never got to experience elementary and middle school life. Meaning, she never got to play with children of her own age. And it really affected her. Emotionally."

"Emotionally? Was she depressed even back then?"

I shook my head yes. Trying not to shed a tear.

"Because of the fact that she was alone most of the time, Ojōsama's childhood wasn't really the greatest. When there were times I would sneak home shoujo-ai manga for her to read…or the random chances where we would see advertisements for those types of anime where it was mostly a group of girls doing random fun stuff together, she would get sad and depressed about it. Wishing that she could experience such a fun life. Instead of being cooped up in the mansion walls 24/7.

There were even times to where she would resent her parents, the butlers & maids, and the private teachers that constricted her freedom to live her own life. It was that bad."

"Man…I never knew Mugi had it that rough. How come she never brought it up?"

"Probably because Ojōsama truly wants to forget about her childhood. And I honestly do not blame her for wanting to do so."

"Damn…wait, so if Mugi was always secluded from the rest of the world, how is she currently attending Sakuragaoka?"

"Ah, yes. About that…what caused that happened 3 years ago. When I was first made aware of my family's role in the household. It was the first time Ojōsama showed any sign of rebellion. And it truly made a mark."

"Whoa…what happened?"

"Well…"

* * *

***3 YEARS AGO…***

"_***whine***__ I don't want this. We won't be able to play with each other anymore._"

"Sumi-chan…" Onee-chan went silent for a bit. "…Don't worry. You wouldn't have to do any of those silly rules."

"H-Huh? Wh-What do you mean?"

"I've kept this a secret for a while now…but I am running away."

"**Wh-What?! R-Running away?!**"

"Shhh! Sumi-chan, please keep it down!" Onee-chan covered my mouth in a panic.

"S-Sorry…but Onee-chan. Why would you think of something like that?"

"Because…I am truly unhappy here, Sumi-chan. Being cooped up inside this mansion…not allowed to enjoy the simple things regular girls do every day…being treated as this "special child" when I'm actually not. I hate it all, Sumi-chan. I hate it and I wish to escape it all."

"W-Wow…"

"And you can come too, Sumi-chan."

"Wh-What?!"

"Runaway with me, Sumi-chan. We can both start over together and finally be happy. Living the lives we always wanted. And I'll fully take care of you as your precious Onee-chan."

"B-But what about your parents?"

"Honestly…screw them."

"**O-Onee-chan!**"

"Excuse my language. But that is how I feel. In order to truly feel what happiness is like, I must discard my overbearing parents…and anyone else who stands in my way. It may sound cruel and ungrateful, it is the only way."

_So, that is how she truly feels…now I know._

"So. What do you say, Sumi-chan? Please come with me. I don't want to be alone anymore. Let's finally be happy together, Sumi-chan."

"Onee-chan…" I went silent for a bit. "…I truly understand how you feel. But I cannot run away with you. My family's loyalty to your family will not allow me to. And honestly…I think this idea is truly reckless of you, Onee-chan."

"S-Sumi-chan…" Onee-chan lowered her head as tears started falling from her eyes. "…I-I see. S-So, you are one of them, as well. I thought I could trust you, Sumi-chan! I thought you of all people understood how I've been feeling all these years! **I thought you were my best friend!**"

"**I am your best friend, Onee-chan!**" I shouted. Making the whole room silent as we both had tears in our eyes. "S-Sorry."

"N-No…I should be the one apologizing. I took out my ever-building anger on you. _Though, I truly wanted to do that with my parents…_"

"Onee-chan…"

"Anyway…if you excuse me, Sumi-chan, I must get back to packing. I'm leaving tonight, by the way."

"T-Tonight? Wh-Where are you going to go?"

"I'm not sure. But anywhere would be better than here."

"I see…" I went silent for a bit. "O-Onee-chan."

"Yes, Sumi-chan?"

"I…I…I won't tell anyone. What you're doing. I'll keep it a secret for as long as I can."

Onee-chan didn't respond at first. But she did get up and hugged me tightly as more tears ran down her face. Not letting go in the slightest.

"Thank you…Sumi-chan. I'll truly miss you."

…

"I-I'll miss you too. Onee-chan." I returned the hug with zero hesitation.

* * *

***PRESENT TIME***

"Later that night, Ojōsama really did run away. But she was safely found the next morning. Turns out she did not go very far."

"Woah…so even back then, Mugi resented her rich girl lifestyle. What did her parents say?"

"_***sigh***_ As you would expect, her parents were very angry at her for pulling off such a stunt. They increased the number of people watching her and it was to the point where Ojōsama wasn't allowed to leave her room unless it was a major event of the sorts."

"Geez. They did that after that one time? Ain't that a bit overprotective?"

"She did that multiple times. 8 times, to be exact. Ojōsama is the type of person to never give up on what she wants."

"Yeah…that does sound like Mugi, alright." Miharu-Ojōsama gained a sweatdrop.

"But then one night, when Ojōsama was planning her 9th attempt to run away, I managed to stop her. And even crazier, convinced her to stop running away and listen to her parents."

"Really? How'd you do that?"

"Well, I…" I then froze in pure shock as the reason that my intervention worked was because of something that, now thinking about it with a more self-aware mindset, is really embarrassing. Like **SUPER** embarrassing.

"Sumire?"

"U-Um…i-it is nothing important. F-Forget I mentioned that last part."

"What? Oh, come on. I wanna know."

"I-It was a long time ago. Th-The details of that night are just a _**little**_ bit fuzzy. S-So to speak."

"So, you remember getting lesbo books for Mugi but you can't remember what you said to make her put up with her overbearing parents? What sense does that make?"

"H-Hey, they are not lesbo books! They show the true heart-breaking struggles of two teenage girls who must hide their everlasting romantic love from the discriminating close-minded simpletons of modern Japanese society. They are **COMPLETELY **different!"

"So, you read them too?" Miharu-Ojōsama gained a sweatdrop.

"Tch. Th-That is not the point!" I blushed even more.

"_Ugh._ Whatever. It's still weird how you can't remember how you convinced her."

"_Hahaha._ Yeah, too bad. It truly does suck that I cannot remember something so important…_and embarrassing_…to Ojōsama's current mood as…"

"…Promising to marry me once I graduated high school?"

"Yeah, like tha…" I then froze once more as I recognized the voice that had suddenly said that. And once I had turned around, I began to panic hard.

"**Eeek!** **O-O-O-Ojōsama?!**"

"Mugi? How'd you know we were here?" Miharu-Ojōsama asked.

"To be honest, I knew you both were spying on me back at the café. Thanks to Sumire's shouting earlier."

"_M-Me and my big mouth…_" I whined.

"Wait a second. What did you mean by "promising to marry you"?"

"What else, Miharu? Three years ago, Sumire promised to marry me once I graduated high school."

"**S-Seriously?! You said that?!**"

"_***whine***__ Ojōsama! Why did you admit such a thing?!_" I whined even more as my face was beyond red at this point.

"Well, Sumire…it was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. Forgetting such a thing wasn't possible in my depressed state of mind at the time."

"_***sigh***_ I guess that makes sense."

"So, how would that work, exactly?" Miharu-Ojōsama asked. "I mean…I don't know the consent laws in Japan, but I'm pretty sure by the time Mugi graduates, Sumire would still be a minor. And a minor proposing to marry an adult is not only weird and uncommon but also illegal. Maybe if Sumire lies about her age, it could possibly work. Though, you'll have to keep a low profile and not do anything rash like…oh, I don't know…run for a government office spot or something like that. They'll probably dig up your file and discover your real age. And then they'll definitely arrest Mugi for banging a 16-year-old. And I hear that prisoners don't take to kindly to child molesters. Last week, I saw this show where this guy wanted to meet with a 12-year-old girl, but then got ambushed by the police while they went "**Stop right there, mother f**cker!**". And the guy nearly pissed his pants as he…"

"**Miharu!**" Ojōsama yelled.

"What? I was just getting to the good part."

"It seems you have forgotten what we were just talking about, Miharu-Ojōsama…" I gained a sweatdrop.

"Ah, well. Hey, how'd that talk with your parents go, Mugi?"

…

…

…

"Mugi?"

Ojōsama went dead silent as she lowered her head down to the ground. Looking like she was about to cry.

_Just like what had happened three years ago…_

"O-Ojōsama?" I asked.

"U-Uh, yeah…a-about that. Th-They _***sniff***_ _Th-They never showed._"

"What?! Oh, come on! Are they **THAT** self-centered to not meet with their own daughter?!"

"M-Miharu-Ojōsama!" I yelled at her.

"_I-It's not that. I-In fact…th-they had a very good reason for not showing._"

"A good reason?" We both asked. We were very confused as to what Ojōsama was talking about. But after she fully explained…

…It had turned this once simple feud about immoral romancing and a secret sister into a whole new problem on its own right.

And I do not know if we will be able to get through this one.

"_M-My father…i-is in the hospital. H-H-He __***sniff***__…H-He died._"

_**Author's Note:**_** Story's back! And with a new problem on the rise for Mugi. She learns that her father has passed. And right when she wanted to reconcile with him. How would she cope with such a huge loss in her already depressed-filled mind? Find out in the next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading. Later. **


	30. A Heart Filled with Regret (Part 1)

**Chapter 30 – A Heart Filled with Regret (Part 1)**

**Miharu's POV**

_Man…poor Mugi. She's been depressed for most of her life because of her parents…and now she finds out that one of them is dead. Not to mention that she's been in a feud with her father for nearly over half a year. And to have him die before she even had the chance to make amends…_

…

_I…I don't know what to say or do in this case. I mean, I want to help her. She is my sister and all…_

…_But how do I do such a thing?_

"Miharu…"

"Oh. H-Hey, Mugi." I said as Mugi came and sat next to me. "Feeling any better?"

"_***sigh***_ Somewhat. I honestly want to cry some more. But my body won't let me. Probably because I ran out of tears."

"I-I see…" We both went silent for a bit before I dared to ask this next question. "S-So, uh…this may not be a good time to ask, but…"

"It was a stroke due to his high blood pressure. All the stress he was secretly dealing with…with the company, sure. But most recently with the fight he was having with his only daughter. It was all building up these past 6-7 months…and it finally did him in."

"I-I see. W-Well…sorry for your loss."

"_***sigh***_ It's fine. We all knew it was going to happen eventually. My father was the type of person to be stubborn about medical treatment by not taking the medication he was prescribed. So, really…he slowly killing himself."

"Oh, wow." Was all I could really say.

"Even though…it was mostly his fault…I can't help but feel a ton of regret on my end. I'm sure Sumire told you about my childhood…and how much I hated it."

"Yeah, she told me. She said how you were always unhappy stuck inside your mansion. And how you would oftentimes hate the people that kept you in there. I gotta admit, though…hearing that you were depressed most of your life really stung me in the heart. You really had no one to go to, huh?"

"Other than Sumire…no. I didn't."

"And so, you had to continue this path made by your parents, right?"

"The only good thing to come out of that was going to Sakuragaoka. It was the first time I ever had the chance to experience the life of a normal teenage girl. And I loved it so much. I got to sit in a real classroom with girls of my own age, I made friends with Ricchan, Mio-chan, and Yui-chan and revived the Light Music Club…playing wonderful music with them whenever we decided to actually practice. Yes, it's true that we don't practice much at all. It's really hard to deny that."

"Ritsu seems to do that a lot."

"Ricchan is a scatterbrained loafer who, for some reason, has an interest in playing music." Mugi went silent for a bit. "D-Don't tell her I said that, though."

"Your secret's safe with me, Mugi." I said with a few giggles.

"Anyway…for the first time in my life, I was experiencing what "being normal" was truly like. And I was truly happy about it. But I knew it was only temporary. I was still unhappy at home. And it took every last bit of my mental strength to hide it from everyone. My friends, my family…and even myself at times.

But then I was made aware of the biggest life-changing moment of my life. Finding out that you existed, Miharu.

I don't know why my parents suddenly decided to tell me this. Either because they believed I was old enough to hear or it was filling them with guilt this entire time. But once I heard the truth…that their young-adult antics caused me to have a sister who resides in a different country…I knew that was it. I knew that it was my one and only chance. To fully escape my unwanted rich girl lifestyle and live the life of my dreams.

A normal one. As a normal girl. With no _**special**_ traits whatsoever. And to finally be free."

"W-Wow. Mugi…" Was all I could really say to such a backstory.

"And now, here we are. Nearly 7 months later. After everything that's happened since we met, it all ends with this. Sure, there were multiple times in which I hated my father. But knowing that this situation was one of the causes of his death…that my damn selfishness shortened his lifespan…it brings a heavy burden on my already depressed heart and mind. So much so that…that…_***sniff***__ that…__**I think I murdered my own father, Miharu! I'M A GODDAMN MURDERER! WAAAAAA!**_"

Mugi then broke down hard as she screamed and cried hard tears of severe depression and regret. Truly believing that she was the cause of her father's sudden death.

Meanwhile, I was mentally panicking on my own. I had absolutely no idea how to calm her down or what to say in this situation. Sure, I lost my mother not too long ago. But I didn't believe I was the cause of it.

Mugi, on the other hand, has had a love-hate relationship with her father for **YEARS**! And when she took the hate side of it too far, in her mind…her father **DIES** of a stroke. And just when she decided to let the resentment go after all these years.

Like I've said multiple times, I want to help her. I really freaking do. But I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. And I feel like I share some blame in this, too. If I haven't moved to Japan, Mugi and I would've never met. And her father would still be alive.

…

…

…

Th-That is the truth…r-right?

"_***sniff***__ M-Miharu…I-I'm a murderer, Miharu! __**A-A MURDERER!**_"

"M-Mugi…"

"**YOU'RE NOT A MURDERER, DAMNIT!**" We heard a voice yell at us. And when we saw who it was…

"H-Hey, you're…"

"_K-Kyouko-chan?_" Mugi asked.

"Sorry for yelling like that, Mugi. But I couldn't stand listening to you believing such things."

"_B-But…B-But it's true. L-Look what happened, Kyouko-chan. M-My father is dead because of my selfish desires for a normal life. __**H-How can I not blame myself for this?!**_"

"I get where you're coming from. But trust me, you do **NOT** want to think this way. You'll only sink yourself further into a deep depression. To the point where you'll do things you'll regret in the future."

" _R-Really?_"

"Wait, what makes you say that?" I asked. "What are you even doing here?"

"That Sumire girl told us what happened. She said that you two were at the hospital and I made her bring me here."

"I am sorry, Ojōsama." Sumire said as she walked up to us. "But she was rather persistent. She would not take no for an answer no matter what I said."

"_I-I see…_" Mugi said before calming down a bit. "Kyouko-chan…when you said that you "get where I'm coming from", are you referring to…_**that**_ day?"

"_***sigh***_ Yeah. It's _**that**_ day."

"_**That**_ day?" Sumire and I asked in confusion.

"Well…have you two ever wondered why Akari only has one eye? Like, at all?"

Sumire and I looked at each other as we thought about what we were just asked.

"You know…I kinda did." I said.

"As did I." Sumire added. "But I did not ask because I did not want to offend."

"Well…the reason behind that is…well…i-is because of me."

"Huh?" We were both confused and shocked at this confession.

"3 years ago, back when we were in middle school, an incident that happened due to us messing around caused a shelf stacked with toys to fall over. And one of them, having a sharp object with it, stabbed Akari in her left eye. It bled so much that she nearly died from it. The only way to save her was…was to remove the eye entirely."

"O-Oh, wow. That sounds horrible." Sumire said.

"Yeah, no kidding." I added. "Who was the stupid asshole to leave a bunch of toys on a shelf in the first place?"

"Miharu!" Mugi yelled at me.

"What? I'm just saying."

"No, Mugi. She's right." Kyouko said. "The person who owned those toys was indeed a stupid asshole. And I truly hate that person from the bottom of my heart."

"Kyouko-chan…"

"Wait, are you saying…**YOU'RE** the stupid asshole?"

"M-Miharu-Ojōsama…please stop saying such a phase." Sumire gained a sweatdrop.

"The toys were from an anime that I used to adore. I had brought them to school before then to glorify our clubroom. I was told to take them home multiple times, but I never did. And then the **accident** happened."

"Woah…" Sumire and I said.

"But how does Akaza-san's missing eye make you relate to Ojōsama and her father passing away?" Sumire then asked.

"Because…how Mugi is feeling now is how I felt for a solid month afterward."

"Really?"

"It's true." Mugi said. "Kyouko-chan went through severe depression after the accident. She blamed herself for ruining Akari-chan's life. And with all the emotion building up inside of her, she just couldn't take it anymore. And did the unthinkable."

"The unthinkable?" We asked.

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Mugi asked Kyouko.

"I think it's best that I just show them." Kyouko said before she started unraveling the pink scarf around her neck.

_I always did wonder why she was wearing a scarf in this tropical hot weather._

And after it was fully off, all of us…including Mugi…were in shock of was we saw.

"W-Woah…th-that is…" Sumire said.

"That scar…it's huge." I said.

"So, that's what it looks like." Mugi said.

"_***sigh***_ I rarely show this to anyone. Even my friends and family. But I'm doing it now just to prove a point."

"H-How did you get such a huge scar?" I asked after witnessing Kyouko's ginormous scar that nearly took up half of her neck.

"This is what happens when you let your depressed thoughts get the best of you. You start hating yourself and believing that everyone will be fine without you…and then you do the "unthinkable". Which, in my case, is stabbing yourself in the neck with a stick in a last-minute suicide attempt. Now I have this giant scar as a permanent reminder of my past self. As I at least try to live a better life right now."

"Woah…that's crazy."

"Yeah. It is." Kyouko then started wrapping the scarf back on her neck. "That's why when I heard that Mugi's been in a feud with her father and that he died before she could makeup, I knew it was only a matter of time before she would start acting like me 3 years ago. So, I came to talk some sense into her."

"I see."

_That makes sense. A way to help someone dealing with depression their entire life is to talk to someone else who's been through similar situations. Thank God Kyouko came through. Or else I'd still be struggling to help._

"Kyouko-chan…I thank you for coming to talk to me." Mugi said after a moment's silence. "But this isn't something I can just push aside like it was nothing. My father…a person that I loved and hated for most of my life…is dead. And no matter how you look at it, I'm partially at fault for his sudden death. Me and my selfish desire to be normal."

"Mugi…"

"Ojōsama…" Sumire and I were worried that, despite this talk, Mugi would end up like Kyouko and regret her existence altogether.

"But…"

"_But?_" We both asked.

"But…maybe I can at least try. I mean, if I can just…empty out all this sadness, anger, and regret from my heart…then maybe I can finally move on with my life. And leave my childhood behind."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Sumire asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I want to at least apologize to my father for the stress I've caused him…and also tell him the truth of how I see my current life. _***sigh***_ But that's not possible anymore."

"R-Right…"

"It's not like you can talk to his soul or something like that." I added.

"_Actually_…that is possible." Kyouko said.

"Huh?"

"It may sound crazy…but there is a way to talk to your father's soul."

…

…

…

"What the hell?" The three of us stared at the blonde-haired girl with huge dumbfounded looks on each of our faces.

"Don't ask how I know this. It's complicated to explain. But I do know that it's possible."

…

…

…

"Uh…okay." I said, breaking the silence. "So, how do we do that?"

"We just need to go out at night and find the nearest shrine. Any idea where that is?"

"The nearest shrine?" Sumire asked. "I think that would be Naminoue Shrine."

"Nami…what?" I was lost in the language barrier.

"Naminoue. It sits on a high bluff near the beach and the ocean. We passed by it while on the tour earlier today."

"Naminoue…yep, here it is." Kyouko said as she was looking at her phone. "It really is close by. Just a few kilometers from the hotel."

"Okay. So, what are we going to do at this shrine?" I asked.

"Like I said, it's complicated to explain. But trust me, this is gonna help. _So much so, that I wish I did it myself._" Kyouko then looked away from us as she gained a sad look of her own. Probably reminded of her own horrible past.

_Now that I think about it…just how much does she relate to Mugi?_

"Hey, Mugi. Do you really want to do this?" I asked her.

"If it is too tough for you, Ojōsama…then I can understand completely." Sumire added.

"Miharu…Sumire…thank you for your concern. But I want to do this. The detail of it may be vague. But if I can truly release these feelings that I've held in for most of my life, then I'm taking that chance. And it would mean a lot to me if you both would come and support me. My…My…My two sisters."

_T-Two…s-sisters?!_

"M-Mugi…I-I…"

"**O-Onee-chan! O-Of course, I'll go with you! I'll never leave your side again, Onee-chan! **_**Waaaa!**_" And before I could say anything, Sumire had broken down and started hugging Mugi with multiple tears running down her face. No doubt ready to support her "Onee-chan" in this new step in life.

_But damn, girl. Get a freaking grip._

"Wait, uh…are they related?" Kyouko asked me.

"No. But Sumire's known Mugi longer than I have. She has like a "special bond" with her."

"I see…"

"_S-Sumire, please! I-I can't…I-I can't…br-breathe!_" Meanwhile, Mugi was panicking underneath the apparent brute strength of her maid's sudden hug of comfort. While the two of us just stood there and watched.

_Sisterly love…I guess?_

_**Author's Note:**_** While still grieving for her loss, a surprise pep-talk from Kyouko has Mugi willing to release the resentment and regret for her father from her own heart. But with him dead, how's that even possible? Find out in part 2. Coming Tuesday, if not tomorrow.**

**I'm sure some of you remember how I said that this story was going to end in like 10 chapters or so. Just wanted to point out that this would've been the final chapter if I had gone with my original plan. With a different concept, of course.**

**Also…if you're wondering why and how Kyouko has a giant scar on her neck, read Kyouko's Shattered Heart. It's a story that I wrote early last year that shows a totally different side of her. It's one of my personal favorites that I wrote and I'm rather proud of it. Just saying. **

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	31. A Heart Filled with Regret (Part 2)

**Chapter 31 – A Heart Filled with Regret (Part 2)**

**Mugi's POV**

***LATER THAT SAME NIGHT…***

"_Wh-Why the hell are we at Naminoue Shine this late at night?_" Mio-chan asked as we had just arrived at Naminoue Shrine at almost 11:00 at night.

"Don't you want to support Mugi-chan during this troubling moment, Mio-chan?" Yui-chan asked.

"_W-Well, yeah. I do. B-But I don't see how coming to an empty shrine at night is going to do anything!_"

"Geez, Mio." Ricchan said. "Can you not be a coward for once in your life?"

"_**Wh-Who the hell are you calling a coward?!**_"

"You're seriously denying it?" Ricchan and Azusa-chan gained a sweatdrop.

"So, why exactly did we have to come to a shrine at night?" Miharu asked Kyouko-chan.

"This method only works at night. And at a shrine. At least, that's what Sachiko told me."

"Okay…" Miharu then turned to Sachiko-san. "…and what exactly is this method?"

"I have a friend who can talk to the dead. Though, she can be rather shy. So, I tend to talk to her at night.

"_T-T-Talk to the dead?! Wh-Wh-What the hell?!_" Mio-chan yelled in fear.

"_S-Sumire-san. I-Is this…r-really a good idea?_" Mikuru-chan asked her.

"Uh…I am not sure myself, Mikuru-san. It honestly sounds like a joke to me."

"It's not a joke." Sachiko-san said. "She can really do it. Along with a whole bunch of other spells and hexes. She's a real pro at it."

"_Wh-What the hell?_" Mio-chan was now shaking in fear.

"_N-Now I see why Chinatsu-chan refused to come with us._" Yui-chan added. Now in fear mode with Mio-chan.

"If you two are so scared, then why don't you just run off already?" Ricchan asked.

"You both are seriously embarrassing yourselves." Azusa-chan added.

"_Wh-Why are you two getting on our cases so much?!_" Mio-chan asked.

"_M-Miku-chan's just as scared as us! Wh-Why aren't you ridiculing her?!_" Yui-chan asked.

And then, with no hesitation, both Ricchan and Azusa-chan said:

"Because, unlike you cowards, we're used to Mikuru being scared all the time."

"_J-Jerks!_"

"Sh-Should I be offended by such a statement?" Mikuru-chan asked with a sweatdrop.

"I sure would be, Mikuru-san." Sumire said. Also with a sweatdrop.

While everyone was talking amongst each other, I remained silent. I, too, had doubts about this working. Talking to the dead sounds absolutely ridiculous. And the fact that it came from a Takaoka girl made it all the more insane.

But at the same time…I'm going along with it. If this ridiculously insane idea really does work…if I'm truly able to talk to my father's soul…if I can finally let go of these lifelong feelings of sadness and anger on this one single night…then I might as well.

I shouldn't let anything stop me from seeking full happiness for myself. Even if it means doing something so…not normal. As putting it in a nice way.

_Although, with my determination, I still have some doubts about this actually working…_

After we went deeper inside Naminoue Shrine…nearly reaching the area that overlooks the beach, Sachiko-san decided that we were deep enough to call her friend. None of us understood what she meant by that or why we had to walk this deep inside a shrine at night in order to call this friend of hers. But both Sachiko-san and Kyouko-chan said that it'll all make sense soon enough.

Whatever "it" is supposed to be.

"Okay. So, that's 9 white candles in a circle. All unlit." Sachiko-san said to herself. "Now, everyone stay back. I'll need some space for this."

"Space? Wait, what the hell kind of friend are you calling?" Ricchan asked.

"I-Ichiko-san…i-is this not a…s-summoning circle?" Mikuru-chan asked.

"**S-Summoning circle?!**" Both Mio-chan and Yui-chan screamed in fear.

"Wow. You sure know ya occult stuff, Mikuru. Ya practicing or somethin'?"

"N-No. I-I am not. I-I just…h-happen to know what it is."

"I see."

"**Um, hello! Why the hell are we forming a freaking summoning circle?!**" Mio-chan yelled.

"To call my friend. Geez, do ya City Girls ever listen fer once in ya damn lives?"

"**What?!**"

"Sachiko…ease up with the country dialect." Kyouko-chan said to her.

"_Where the hell is this going to lead?_" Miharu whispered to me.

"_I'm…not sure. But at this point, I don't even care anymore. I just want to rid these feelings already._"

"Mugi…"

"Alright, everyone! Quiet! I need to focus!" Sachiko-san yelled out before stepping forward towards the 9 unlit candles in a circle. Then, after clapping three times, she began praying to herself as she chanted a very ominous phrase.

"Hear these words, hear my cries, spirit from the other side. Come to us who call you near, cross now through the great divide!"

Meanwhile, the rest of us watched in confusion (and, in Mio-chan and Yui-chan's case, fear). None of us knew or understood why she was doing this sort of thing. And were about to ask her to stop whatever it is that she's doing.

But that's when…

"_Charge this candle by my will~. The color one sitting on my sill~. Charge with power and charge with love~. And protective the rays from up above~. From sun to moon and moon to me~. To this protection candle, so mote it be~!_"

"Wh-What the hell? Wh-Who said that?" Miharu asked.

"S-Senpai…" While Azusa-chan was clinging to her girlfriend's shirt in fear.

And then suddenly, each of the nine candles began to slowly light on their own. One by one just seconds after the other. And then we heard the sound of bells chiming real loudly. Thing is…there wasn't a bell anywhere near here.

"_S-Sumire-san! I-I am…r-really scared!_" Mikuru-chan said as she held on tightly behind Sumire.

"_D-Do not worry…M-Mikuru-san. I-I am here to…_"

***BANG***

"**Eeek!**"

"**K-Kyouko, what the hell is going on?!**" Ricchan yelled.

"**I-I don't know! S-Sachiko never explained how this thing works!**"

"_We're gonna die! We're gonna die! __**We're totally gonna die!**_" Mio-chan had begun panicking while clinging onto Yui-chan.

"_I-I don't wanna die! N-Not now! __**I still haven't kissed another girl!**_"

_Yui-chan, will you please just drop that already…_

This weird and unexplainable event happened for a few more seconds before everything just…stopped. The candles went out, the chiming stopped…it was completely dead silent at this shrine.

It made us all very confused.

"Okay. She's here."

And Sachiko-san saying that all of a sudden didn't help make it any clearer.

"Uh…who's here?" Ricchan asked.

"My friend. She's here to help now."

"Okay, but…where is she?" Azusa-chan asked.

"She's right here." Sachiko-san pointed behind her. But there was truly no one there.

…

…

…

"_I think this girl has a screw loose…_" Miharu whispered to me.

"Miharu…"

"I don't have a screw loose! It's just that she's…"

"_S…Sachiko~._"

"A-A voice?!" Ricchan asked in shock.

"Geez, there you are. You're making me look like a loon out here."

"_S-Sorry~. I-It's just…r-really scary out here~._"

"Kaho, I really don't think you have any right to say that right now." Sachiko gained a sweatdrop.

"Kaho?" Us 8 Shiga girls asked.

"Kaho, please show yourself." Kyouko-chan said. "We need your help with something."

…

…

…

"_O…Okay~. I-I'll try~._"

The mysterious voice had stopped as tiny blue sparks of fire started floating near Sachiko-san. And then slowly coming into view was a girl with a skull hairpin in her long blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Wearing some kind of school uniform where the untucked dress shirt had no sleeves whatsoever and had a light blue tie on it.

The short skirt she wore was a plaid pattern with blue, grey, and black. And she wore light blue & white sneakers that looked…honestly brand-new.

And she looked rather young. Probably around the same age as Sumire and Mikuru-chan.

_This is…a ghost, right? If she really is one…did she truly die that young?_

"_K…K…__**KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_"

Without that much of a warning, Mio-chan and Yui-chan screamed in total fear once they saw the ghost girl. And they both fled in a panic towards the shrine exit. Completely gone in like 10 seconds flat.

"_***sigh***_ Well, there goes those two." Ricchan said with a facepalm. "So, who's the ghost girl?"

"This is Kaho Tsuyaki." Sachiko explained. "Say hi, Kaho."

"_H…Hello~._" The ghost girl nervously greeted us.

"I met her when we went down to Hakone a few summers ago. _My hometown, by the way. __***giggle***_"

"Kaho Tsuyaki…**w-wait, you mean THAT Kaho Tsuyaki?!**" Azusa-chan asked. "**The Infamous Missing Girl of Japan?!**"

"Yep. The very same."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Azusa-chan?" I asked.

"Don't you guys remember? Kaho Tsuyaki was a second-year middle schooler who disappeared during a class trip to Hakone 6 years ago. There were search parties and campaigns that lasted for days at a time. But to this day, she's never been found."

"Oh, crap. I remember." Ricchan said. "It was insane how much effort went into finding her."

"I was only a 4th grader when that event happened." Sumire said. "To think that it was so long ago…"

"I-It is actually kinda sad." Mikuru-chan added.

"Yeah, it is." Sachiko-san said. "But since then, Kaho's been doing fine. She now protects the shrine she died at from evil spirits and humans who intend to disrupt the peace it has. And she does this with occult spells."

"Woah…that's actually pretty freaking cool!" Miharu said in excitement.

"Yeah, no kidding. I wish I could do such a thing." Ricchan added.

"You here that, Kaho." Sachiko-san said to the ghost girl. "They think what you do is cool."

"_R-Really~? W-Wow~…th-thank you for believing that~._" Kaho-chan said with a small smile.

_Kaho Tsuyaki…the ghost of the Infamous Missing Girl of Japan…I get it now. To speak to the dead, one must find a person who can actually connect to the other side. And that's what Kaho-chan is for._

_I may have many…and I mean __**MANY **__questions about how these girls happen to know a ghost, of all things. But I'll put them in the back of my mind._

_As long as I get to talk to him one last time._

"_S-So, uh…wh-where am I~?_"

"This is Naminoue Shrine, Kaho." Sachiko-san said. "In Okinawa."

"_O-Okinawa~? Wh-Why am I here~? Wh-What's going on~? S-Sachiko~…_"

"Calm down, Kaho. I can explain."

"Wow. For a ghost, she's a lot like Mikuru-san." Azusa-chan said.

"I know." Ricchan said. "She could be a long lost relative of yours, Mikuru."

"T-Tainaka-senpai, please don't say such things…" Mikuru-chan gained a sweatdrop.

* * *

***ONE EXPLANATION LATER…***

"_W-Wow~. I-I see now~. I-I'm sorry for your loss, Tsumugi-san~._" Kaho-chan said after the whole situation was explained to her.

"Thank you, Kaho-chan." I replied with mild sadness. "I'm…somewhat cooping through it all."

"So, with all that we said, is it possible to talk to Mugi's dad's soul, Kaho?" Kyouko-chan asked.

"_W-Well~…I-It is possible~. Th-There is a ritual that allows you to speak to the dead~. B-But…th-there is a requirement~._"

"A requirement?" We asked.

"_Th-The ritual requires the blood of a living relative~. A-A lot of it, actually~. I-It's one that others rarely perform~…d-due to the risk of major blood loss~._"

"W-Wow. I-I guess that's a good reason not to do it." Miharu said with mild concern.

"So, we came all the way out here for nothing, huh?" Ricchan asked. "Figured so. I'll get the two scaredy cats and we'll head back to…"

"I want to do it."

"**Huh?!**" Everyone looked at me with looks of total shock.

"I want to do it. I want to do the ritual."

"**O-Ojōsama! Did you not hear what Tsuyaki-san said?! You could lose a lot of blood!**" Sumire yelled at me.

"I know that, Sumire. But even then…I want to do it. I have a lot of things to tell my father. And they say that keeping deep emotional secrets to yourself will be a mistake you'll regret for the rest of your life."

I then went silent for a bit.

_Then again…even if I do tell him, I'll still have some regrets in the end…_

"Like Kyouko-chan said. When you let your depressed thoughts get the best of you, you start to hate yourself. And believe that everyone will be fine without you. And soon enough…the "unthinkable" will surely happen to me."

"Th-The unthinkable?" Azusa-chan asked. "B-By that, do you mean…"

"M-Mugi…y-you seriously aren't thinking of…" Ricchan said with a shocked tone.

"K-Kotobuki-san…" Mikuru-chan added while nearly in tears.

But I didn't reply to any of them. I stayed silent and looked away from everyone. Letting out a small sigh of sadness from my own body. My mind being a complete mess of mixed emotions.

And soon, the whole area was silent. Not a single person saying a word due to the depressed mood I brought upon everyone.

That is until…

"Mugi…go ahead."

"Huh?" We all looked at Miharu.

"I may not fully relate to any of this…but as your sister, I'm going to support you no matter what. All I want from this is for you to be fully happy. Especially after what you've been through for most of your life."

"Miharu…"

"Miharu-Ojōsama is right." Sumire said. "If this ritual will make you experience the happiness you so truly desired, Ojōsama…then I shall support you as well. As your maid, childhood friend, and little sister, I will never leave your side, Ojōsama!"

"Sumire…"

"I don't really know what these two are talking about…but I'm with you too, Mugi. Can't have our keyboardist all sad and mopey during the festival." Ricchan said.

"I'm with you 100%, Mugi-senpai." Azusa-chan said.

"A-As am I, Kotobuki-san." Mikuru-chan added.

"Everyone…" I was nearly in tears as I felt the overwhelming support rushing to me at such a fast speed. It truly has been a while since I last felt this emotional. And to have not only that, but to receive it from so many people at once…it was truly one of the best moments of my life.

"_***sniff***_ _E-Everyone…th-thank you._" Was all I was able to say.

"So, everyone's in agreement to this?" Kyouko-chan asked. "Then, let's get started."

"How does this ritual work, Kaho?" Sachiko-san asked Kaho-chan.

"_W-Well~…f-first, you'll need to draw a pentagram on the ground~._"

"A pentagram…" Ricchan said as she looked around the area. "…Hey, it seems like someone left some chalk here. Lucky for us, huh?"

"I guess…" Azusa-chan said. "…Let me draw it, Senpai." And then, shocking everyone, Azusa-chan drew a perfect pentagram on the ground in front of us. Which kinda makes me question what kind of hobbies does this kōhai have.

_Azusa-chan is definitely not a normal girl…_

"Alright. What's next, Kaho?" Sachiko-san asked.

"_N-Next is~…c-candles~. Pl-Place a candle on each point of the star~. A-And then…l-light them~._"

"Okay. Gotcha." Sachiko-san then did the next instruction. Placing a candle on each star point and lighting them up with a match.

And honestly…despite pentagrams being known for summoning demons and other creatures from the pits of Hell, they actually look kinda pretty.

…

Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, though.

Once all the candles were placed and lit, there was still the question of how exactly is this going to work. I mean…is it supposed to glow or something? I've seen these things do that in movies and anime and such.

Luckily, that's what Kaho-chan is for.

"_Charge this candle by my will~. The color one sitting on my sill~. Charge with power and charge with love~. And protective the rays from up above~. From sun to moon and moon to me~. To this protection candle, so mote it be~!_"

Once Kaho-chan had recited that spell, the candles began to glow a bright light color. And soon, the pentagram began to glow with them. But it was a dark color. Almost black.

"_Woah…_" We were all amazed at the sight of it all. The magic that is Occult Arts…never in my life did I ever think that I was going to witness it first hand in front of my very own eyes.

…

Then again…I didn't think the stuff that led up to this would happen in the first place. So, I guess that's fair.

"_T-Tsumugi-san~. I-If you're ready, please step inside the pentagram~._" Kaho-chan said to me.

I took a deep breath and looked at everyone surrounding me. In return, I received smiles and thumbs up…and even received hugs from Miharu and Sumire. The two people that I care about the most.

"Alright. I'm ready." I said before making my way to the center of the glowing pentagram.

"_N-Now~…w-with a sharp object, make a deep cut on your finger~. A-And let it drip in the center~._"

"O-Okay…" To be honest, I was the most nervous about this part. There was no telling how much blood I was going to lose for this. And the fact that the cut had to be deep didn't ease my nerves about it, either.

But in the end, I still did it. I took a sharp object (being a random shard of glass that was found on the ground) and sliced it across my index finger. Making a deep cut on it and letting ti drip huge drops of blood.

"_O-Ow! Damn, it hurts…_" I said to myself as I winced in pain.

"_F-Finally~…e-empty all unrelated thoughts~. Sp-Speak with your mind~. Th-This spiritual conversation is only between…y-you and the person you lost~. B-But you only have an hour to do so~._"

_An hour, huh? That's honestly all the time I need._

And so…with my eyes closed, my mind cleared, and my finger a bloody mess, I began to enter the world of the spirits. To find my father and tell him the truth.

The truth of how I see life.

_**Author's Note:**_** With help from the ghost of long to be missing Kaho Tsuyaki, Mugi enters the Other Side to have one last talk with her now-dead father. And finally confess to him her true hidden feelings. All to be revealed in part 3.**

**Also, so sorry for this chapter being late. I know I said either Monday or Tuesday. But things kept popping up for me.**

**Kaho Tsuyaki is another original character from the Yuru Yuri side. Only she's not from the Inner Struggles series like most of the others. She actually first appeared very late into Yuru Yuri + 1. The same story that Sachiko and Yuri debuted in. It's another one that I enjoyed writing a lot. And I actually tried continuing it at one point. But it didn't work out.**

**Still, though. Give it a read. There may be a few mistakes here and there, though. I gotta run it (and a few others) through Grammarly someday.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	32. The Journey Within the Dream World

**Chapter 32 – The Journey Within the Dream World**

**Mugi's POV**

"_***moan***__ Wh-What…where am…I?_"

I woke up due to a bright light in my face and looked at my surroundings. Where I ended up was rather…rather concerning.

"_Th-This is…_m-my room? W-Wait, how the hell did I end up here?! Wasn't I was supposed to…"

***STING***

"Ow! What the…" I then looked at my finger to see that there was a huge deep cut on it. seeing it made me realize something. And when I opened my window to be absolutely sure, I was rather shocked about it.

"No way…everything looks all too real…but is this truly the Other Side?"

"Indeed it is, Tsumugi-san." I suddenly heard a familiar voice. And I turned around to see a…rather familiar person.

"H-Huh? Kaho-chan?"

"Welcome to the Other Side, Tsumugi-san. Or, as it is better known as…the Dream World."

"The Dream World…?"

"A new form of the Other Side in which the dreams of the dead come true in the form of their own special world. It is now how souls these days, how you say…"rest in peace"."

"Rest in peace, huh?" I went silent for a bit as I looked around this dreamy version of my bedroom.

_It really looks identical. The wall color, the furniture, the items…even the self in which Sumire and I kept all of our Yuri manga is exact. Alphabetical and listed by volume and all. It's crazy._

"So…is this…"

"Correct. We are currently inside your father's Dream World."

"Wow…" I then went silent again. "Uh…hey, Kaho-chan. You seem different, all of a sudden. You're not stuttering and both of your feet are on the ground."

"Oh, um…that is because I am one of the angels of this world. Me and others like myself are in charge of guiding each soul to their correct Dream World. It is more like a side-job with my work of protecting the Hakone Shrine. Plus, this place is so soothing. It calms me down to the point where I do not stutter."

"I see…"

_I don't really get it. But I'm not going to ask any further. For one, I'm not supposed to be here this early. So, to ask how the afterlife works is way beyond the human boundaries._

"So, this is my father's Dream World, right? Where do I find him?"

"Me, personally…I do not know. Since you know your father best, you would have to find him yourself. In fact, there is not much I can do for you, Tsumugi-san."

"Huh? Then why did you come here?"

"It was only to inform you of where you are. I am not allowed to interfere with the Dream Worlds of the dead. So, I am already breaking the rules by letting you come here. That is why I gave you the hour-long time limit."

"I see…"

_Even then…an hour is still all I need._

"Well…thank you for your help thus far, Kaho-chan. I should be able to do the rest on my own."

"Please do not take long, Tsumugi-san. I shall wait here when you are finished."

"Alright. I'll be back soon." I said as I opened the door and went out of the room to explore this Dream World that belongs to my father.

_A world that my father owns…come to think of it, that's always been a dream of his._

* * *

Walking around the mansion was a bit nostalgic for me. As I haven't been inside this place in a little over six months. And even though this is all part of a Dream World, everything around me just kept giving me memories.

Ones of my father when he wasn't such a workaholic.

"This specific corner right here…I remember getting hurt by it while learning how to walk. And then Father comforted me until I felt better. I was only 2-years-old at the time. And the only focus in his life."

I then fell silent as I felt tears running down my face. The memories that were overflowing my mind were now filling me with nothing but pure sadness.

_Father…where the hell did we go wrong? What started this mess? Why couldn't we…just be happy?_

"Ojōsama?"

"S-Sumire?!" I turned after hearing a familiar voice to see someone I didn't expect to see in here. "H-How did you…"

"Ojōsama, what are you still doing here? I thought you had left to meet up with your friends."

…

…

…

"H-Huh?" I was confused.

"You do not remember? You had left minutes ago to meet up with your friends from school. Something about looking for a guitar for a girl named Yui."

"Uh…"

_I think I get it now. This must be the Dream World version of Sumire. But due to her looking identical to the real-world version, I almost mistook her for the real deal._

_And from what she's talking about, it sounds like this time period is back when Ricchan, Mio-chan, Yui-chan, and I first started_ _Hō-kago Tea Time. And brought back the club as a whole._

_It's also…back when I had no idea who Miharu was. Or that she even existed._

"O-Oh, yes. I did leave." I said. Deciding to just play along with this situation. "But I came back because I wanted to talk with my father about something. Do you know where he is?"

"Oh. I am not sure. He left shortly after you did. Possibly to a company meeting or something of the like."

"I see. Thank you, Sumire. You may leave now."

"As you wish, Ojōsama." Dreamy Sumire said before walking away from me.

_***sigh***__ She's still got that little sister charm to her. Even if she isn't the real Sumire._

"So, my father left, huh? Which means that can't really talk to him. _Even in his own Dream World, work is more important than me._"

I took out my phone and looked at the time. Looking around the place and talking with the Dream World version of my maid/sister only took 5 minutes of my 1-hour time limit. Though, I thought it was longer than that.

"Well, no point in staying here. If I want to find Father, then I'll have to go out and explore this Dream World place that my father dreamed up. Then, I could see if it is as identical to the real world."

And with that in mind, I made my way for the front of the mansion. About to leave it and walk on inhumane territory.

Meaning…explore my dead father's world made of dreams.

_My dreamy adventure awaits, I guess._

* * *

***50 MINUTES UNTIL DREAM WORLD DEPARTURE***

I was now walking down the streets of Shiga looking at the dream world around me. Everything seemed to be identical to the real world…except for one thing. The sky was less blue and more…rainbow-y. If that's even a thing.

Nobody seemed to care that the sky was basically a giant rainbow. So, I'm guessing that this is normal for them.

Although, even I gotta admit…it makes this world prettier than the real world.

"This world is so…well, it's a lot of things, really. Big, pretty, identical…oddly crowded. Finding Father is going to be harder than I originally thought. I hope I can still do it within the time…"

***BAM***

"_Ow…_Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"Oh, it's okay. It's my fault for spacing out." Said the girl who I had bumped into. I then froze in total shock. As I had recognized the voice almost immediately.

_N-No way. D-Did I seriously run into…_

"You look like a very nice girl, anyway. My name's Tsumugi Kotobuki."

_**Aw, crap! I bumped into my dream world self!**_

"O-Oh, really? That's uh…really cute name." I said.

"_***giggle***_ Thank you. It was my father's idea. I like it very much."

"I see…"

"So, what's your name?"

"Tch! M-My name? W-Well, it's…"

_Come on, Mugi! Think! You can't use your actual name or else she'll get suspicious! Just think of something really quick!_

"Uh…my name is…Tsumire Katabuki. I-I just moved here from…Okinawa."

"Tsumire Katabuki…what a cute name. And from Okinawa, too? You sure are lucky."

"Yeah…I guess." Was all I said.

_Thank God I was a gullible rich girl back in the day…_

"So, what are you doing out here, Tsumire? Are you meeting somebody?"

"Uh, well…" And as I was about to answer…

"Hey! Mugi-chan!"

"Oh, look. Here come my friends."

"**Fr-Friends?!**" I yelled in a panic.

_Please don't tell me these friends are who I think they are…_

"Yui-chan! Ricchan! Mio-chan! Over here!"

_Damnit!_

"Hey, Mugi. Early as usual, I see." Said the Dream World version of Ricchan.

"Sure am. I'm so excited to _**chillax **_and go _**out on the town**_ with you girls. It's going to be so _**tubular**_, yo. _***giggle***_"

The four of us grew a huge sweatdrop over what this girl had said.

_Was I seriously __**THAT**__ oblivious over everyday life?_

"Right…" Dreamy Ricchan said. "So, who's your friend?"

"Oh, right. This is Tsumire Katabuki. We bumped into each other not long ago and we were just chatting amongst ourselves."

"Um…hello." I greeted the dreamy versions of my friends.

"Tsumire Katabuki…for some reason, you look very familiar." Dreamy Mio-chan said.

"Yeah, no kidding. It's almost like I've seen you before." Dreamy Ricchan added.

"O-Oh, really? You must be mistaken. I just moved here from Okinawa."

"**From Okinawa?! Wowie! That's so cool, Tsumi-chan!**" Dreamy Yui-chan yelled in excitement.

"Ts-Tsumi-chan?"

"Yui…don't be giving nicknames to people you just met." Dreamy Mio-chan said.

"_Hehhehheh…_sorry."

"N-No, it's okay. I don't mind, really." I said.

"Anyway. You girls ready to go?" Dreamy Ricchan asked. "The music store should be around here somewhere."

"Isn't it inside the mall?" Dreamy Mio-chan asked. "_***sigh***_ The fact that that I'll have to be around so many people…"

"You worry too much, Mio. It'll be fine."

"You make it sound _**so **_ easy, Ritsu…"

"Oh, that reminds me, Tsumire. What were you planning to do today?" My dreamy self asked me.

"Uh…"

_The music store…wait a minute! Father owns that store! I could just ask the employee there and I'll soon find my father! It's perfect!_

"Well…I'm actually looking for someone. But I don't really know where he is. We were actually planning to go to a music store together."

"A music store? Well, what a coincidence. We're on our way to one, ourselves."

"You can tag along if you want." Dreamy Ritsu said. "We certainly don't mind right, girls?"

"I'm fine with it!" Dreamy Yui-chan cheered. "Let's hang out together, Tsumi-chan!"

"How are you guys fine with hanging out with someone you just met?" Dreamy Mio-chan asked.

"It should be fine, Mio-chan. Tsumi-chan looks like a nice girl. Right, Tsumi-chan?"

"Uh…yes. I truly am a nice person. Nothing to worry about, uh…Mio-chan, was it?"

"_Hmm…_" Dreamy Mio-chan looked at me with her eyes squinted and her hand over her chin.

_Crap! I think she's onto me!_

"…Well, fine. If you say so. Katabuki-san."

_Phew. That was a close one. But I truly think that she's onto me. As expected of Mio-chan._

"Alrighty, then! Let's go! My first guitar awaits!" Dreamy Yui-chan cheered.

"Race ya to the bus stop, Yui!" Dreamy Ricchan said before running off ahead of us.

"Ah! No fair, Ricchan! You got a head start!"

"H-Hey, wait, you two! Don't run!" Dreamy Mio-chan yelled as she ran after them. Leaving me standing side-by-side with my dreamy self. Trying to act as calm as possible.

"Your friends sure are interesting, Tsumugi." I said.

"_***giggle***_ Yes, they are. But they're also so near and dear to me. I'm glad to have them as my first friends."

"I see…"

_She isn't wrong there. I truly am grateful for the friends I have now. And also for one special sister._

"Well, now. Shall we head off? We're getting left behind."

"Uh…sure. Let's go." Was all I said.

The two of us then walked at normal speed to catch up with the other girls. On our way to the same music store that brought my bond with these girls on a higher level.

Only this time…the bond that I want is from my father's dreamy spirit.

_**Author's Note:**_** Mugi wakes up in the alternate afterlife, known as the Dream World, in search of her father's spirit. Only to run into the dreamy versions of herself and her friends. And with one of them suspicious of her, this journey through the Other Side may be a bit harder than she originally thought.**

**In case you couldn't tell, the plot for this chapter is highly inspired off of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. The fact that this "Other Side" is known as the Dream World and that there are "dreamy" versions of the characters should've been a dead giveaway. I just love that game to death. Easily one of the best RPG's out there.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	33. A Dreamy Final Confrontation

**Chapter 33 – A Dreamy Final Confrontation**

**Miharu's POV**

"She's been in there for a while. How long does this usually take?"

"Well, Tsuyaki-san did give her an hour." Azusa said to me. "And from the look on Mugi-senpai's face, she seemed pretty satisfied with it."

"An hour, huh?" I looked at the clock on my phone. Half an hour had already passed since Mugi had jumped into this "Other Side" to find and confront her father's soul. Kaho never said what would happen if Mugi didn't make it in time. So, right now…I'm worried as all hell for her safety.

"_***sniff***__ Onee-chan…_"

Though not as much as Sumire.

"I-It is okay, Sumire-san. I-I am sure Kotobuki-san will make it in time." Mikuru said to her.

"_***sniff***__ Thank you, Mikuru-san. But that is not all there is. I am also upset that I made Onee-chan…Ojōsama…play out her life as if there was nothing wrong with it. I even turned a blind eye to it. When I knew from the very start that she was unhappy. __***sigh***__ Some sister I am._"

"Hey. Come on, Sumire. Don't say that." I said. "You're a way better sister than I am to put up with Mugi's rebellious antics for so long."

"_You are only saying that because you only knew her for 6 months._"

"W-Well, yeah but…"

_Damn. She got me there._

"Hey, Miharu-senpai." Azusa said to me. "I've been meaning to ask…just how did you and Mugi-senpai become sisters?"

"Huh? You're asking that now?"

"Well, when you think about it, that was the start of this whole thing."

"Azusa's right." Ritsu added. "Ever since you both found out that you were related, it's been going downhill for Mugi. Kicked out of her mansion, lost her funds, got into a feud with her father…she's been hit hard."

"Yeah…true." I said with a sad sigh.

"_H-H-Hey…i-is the ghosty-chan gone now?_" Yui asked as she and Mio shockingly came back after being scared off by Kaho.

"Yes, Yui-senpai. The ghost is gone now." Azusa said.

"_***sigh***_ Thank goodness." They both said with relief.

"You know. You two could be a little more supportive in this." Ritsu said.

"Hey, we are being supportive!" Mio yelled. "Just as much as the rest of you!"

"Really? Cause I don't recall running away in tears over the sight of a ghost girl ever being supportive."

"That's because no one ever mentioned that we would be making **a freaking summoning circle!** What the hell do you freaks consider "normal" nowadays?!"

"_Freaks?_" Kyouko and Sachiko were rather offended by such a statement.

"Look, Mio." I joined in. "This whole thing may look and sound ridiculous…and I honestly agree with you that forming a summoning circle connected to the world of the afterlife in the middle of a shrine at 11:33 at night is the most insane thing I have ever done since moving to Japan.

But this here is for Mugi's sake. She's been through total hell ever since we found out we were sisters. Hell, since the day we met. And even then, she's put my needs before hers. She helped me cope with my feelings for the death of my mother. She came with me to her grave and helped me say my true and final goodbye to her.

Meanwhile, I've been doing nothing but standing in the sidelines. Watching how her problem would just magically disappear from her life. I couldn't do a damn thing for her because her family wants nothing to do with me. To them, I'm nothing more than an illegitimate child. But yet, Mugi gave up them **AND** her rich-as-hell lifestyle just to be with me.

And yet…all I can do is hope she comes out of this "Other Side" place alive. She's helped me overcome my life's struggle while I can't help with hers. As Sumire pointed out with her…_Une putain de soeur que je suis._"

"Wh-What?" Sumire asked.

"_Some ****ing sister I am_ is what she said." Azusa translated.

"I see…but I do not remember swearing like that, Miharu-Ojōsama." Sumire then gained a sweatdrop.

"Eh, it was close enough."

"You know French?" Kyouko asked Azusa.

"I learned it in middle school. It comes in handy now since Miharu-senpai constantly swears in French."

"I see. I learned it two years ago out of boredom and it comes in handy whenever a senpai of ours switches between French and Engrish."

"Engrish, huh? That's interesting."

_Wait, someone who switches between French and Engrish? Why does that sound…familiar?_

"Miharu…" Mio said with a sad look on her face.

…

…

…

"Hey, Sachiko-san. How risky would it be for us to jump inside that thing?"

"**Huh?!**" We all yelled in total shock.

"**W-Wait! Mio, are you suggesting that we go INSIDE that thing?!**" Ritsu asked.

"This is a rare thing for me to say, but…you're right, Ritsu. I could and honestly should be more supportive of this. Two of my friends are struggling with huge personal problems and yet here I am complaining about fourth-wall breaks and the amount of insanity we've been experiencing is on the same level as Yuru Yuri."

"Actually, you're nowhere near close to the insanity we experience."

"Shut up, Sachiko." Kyouko retorted to her friend.

"Point is, I should've been a lot more attentive about this. And from the very start, too. I don't know if I'll ever fully make it up to either Mugi or Miharu, but for now, I can start by helping Mugi find her father's soul. As weird as it may sound."

"Guys…" I said.

"I wanna go, too!" Yui cheered. "I wanna make-out…I-I mean make-up with Mugi-chan, too!"

_Why did she say make-out?_

"You know…it's rather rare on its own right for you to be making risky decisions, Mio." Ritsu said. "I'm usually the one doing it and I get hit in the head for it."

"Well, don't get used to it. This is only a one-time thing."

"_Kinda wish it wasn't…_"

"Well, if you two really want to do this…then I'm going with you." I said. "I want to help Mugi as much as she helped me in the past."

"You too?" Ritsu then went silent for a bit. "_***sigh***_ Even though I think that this is a very bad idea, I'll tag along. Who knows what could happen with you three running around the world of the afterlife."

"Wow, Ritsu-senpai." Azusa said. "This has to be the first time I've ever seen you think rationally for once. You actually look a little respectable."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Ritsu gained a pissed-off look.

"Hey, I just asked Kaho if this was alright." Sachiko said. "She said that due to the limited time and how too many of you would cause suspicion, only two more can go in."

"Huh? Only two?" Yui asked.

"And you might also want to hurry up. This thing's about to close in 20 minutes."

"Only two, huh? Well, that's an easy decision." I stood up from the ground. "Sumire. Let's you and me go."

"Huh? Wh-Why me?"

"You wanna help Mugi too, right? With this, it's now or never. It's your chance to finally make up for what happened during her childhood. To help your sister be happy."

"_M-Make Onee-chan…happy…_" Sumire went silent for a bit. Then grew a huge smile as a single tear ran down her face. "Okay…I shall go. I wish to make Onee-chan happy! **I will make that happen!**"

"That a girl!" I cheered.

"She didn't correct herself that time." Ritsu said.

"I think it's safe to say that Sumire-san has finally started believing what's right in her own heart. And not just in the minds of others." Mio said.

"If that's the case, then she's must've come a long way." Kyouko said.

"Alright." Sachiko called out. "Those who are going, make a deep cut on your finger and jump in."

"W-Wait, huh?" Mio asked.

"That's how you get in. You make a deep cut on your finger and your blood opens the path. Mugi did it."

"You know, I would question that statement hard as hell right now…but after what I said before I'll just look like a hypocrite."

"I can just do it for you." Ritsu said with a smirk.

"Shut it."

"Good luck, you two!" Yui cheered.

"M-Miharu-san. S-Sumire-san. Pl-Please come back safely. A-And help Kotobuki-san, too." Mikuru added.

"Don't worry, Mikuru. We'll be back real quick." I said.

"You have my word, Mikuru-san." Sumire said with an added bow.

And so, after we made a cut on our fingers with a random shard of glass, Sumire and I each stepped inside the summoning circle to be transported to the Other Side to hopefully meet up with Mugi and even more hopefully help her find her father and have this whole life struggle pass on already.

_Hang on, Mugi. Soon, we'll all be happy. Together._

* * *

**Mugi's POV**

***18 MINUTES UNTIL DREAM WORLD DEPARTURE***

We arrived at the music store…but the trip itself took longer than I remembered it to be. Dreamy Yui-chan kept stopping at every single store that came up. Clothing stores, jewelry stores, a sweets café, a toy store, a "desu desu" store…

I don't even know what the hell that one is…

Point is, so much time was wasted and now I got close to 20 minutes to find my father and actually speak with him. It took me a while to notice, but Azusa-chan was freaking right about us being unreliable. I honestly feel sorry for her dreamy self since she's going to experience this nonsense every day for 2 years.

_I just hope she keeps her sanity much like the real world version has up to this point…_

"_***sigh***_ Finally, we're here." Dreamy Mio-chan said. "You made us go through so many detours, Yui."

"But there were so many cute stores to see. All of those clothes and shoes and jewelry and sweets and desu desu…"

"_Seriously. What the hell is a desu desu?_" Dreamy Ricchan and I asked with huge sweatdrops.

"Don't you remember why we came out here in the first place?"

"Of course, of course. To get my guitar. And there are so many amazing ones, too. _***whine***_ _I dunno which one to chose…_"

"Don't worry. We'll help you out." Dreamy Ricchan said. "Right, everyone?"

"Um, actually…I'm going to go look for my friend. He should be around here somewhere." I said.

"Aw. Tsumi-chan, are you leaving already?" Dreamy Yui-chan asked in a sad tone.

"It's been fun. Really, it has. But I'm rather busy at the moment. Maybe we can meet up in the future sometime."

"_***sigh***__ Oh, alright._"

"In that case, I'll help you find him, Tsumire-chan." My dreamy self said.

"Um…I can find him myself…"

"But you are new here, right? Won't you get lost?"

_Damn…I did say that I moved here from Okinawa. I'll just have to play along for a bit longer._

"Alright. Thank you for the help, Tsumugi-san."

_That felt weird to say…_

"Anytime, Tsumire. I'll meet with you girls in a bit." My dreamy self then said to the other three.

"Don't take long." Dreamy Mio-chan replied.

We left the other three to their guitar-picking and left the music store entirely. Well…not exactly. My doppelgänger actually took me through a door that took us to the inner works of the mall. Usually reserved for employees and such. I was rather confused as to why she did this. And I was going to ask, too.

But then…

"Okay, Tsumire. You can drop the act now."

_Huh?! W-Wait, don't tell me…_

"Huh? What act? What are you talking about?" I asked. Hoping to defuse her suspicions.

"Quit playing dumb. I know who your "friend" is, Tsumire. Or should I say…_Tsumugi_?"

…

…

…

"Y-You…You knew all along, didn't you?" I asked after mentally accepting the fact that I've been caught.

"You honestly believed that I didn't notice that you look and sound just like me? And then there's "Tsumire Katabuki"…never did I believe that my own doppelgänger would stereotype me as the gullible rich girl."

"Well, you are me. It was worth a shot." I gained a sweatdrop.

"_***sigh***_ Whatever. You want to meet with Father, right? He's actually up ahead. I'll take you to him."

"R-Really?! You will?! Just like that?!"

"Yes. I will. You and…"

***BANG***

"What was that?" Before my dreamy self could finish, we started hearing loud banging coming from the ceiling above us. And as the banging got louder…

***BANG***

***BANG*** ***BANG*** ***BANG***

…

***BOOM***

"**WAAAAAAA!**"

***THUD***

"_Ow, my head…_why did that girl had to drop us through the damn ceiling?"

"Well, we were in a rush. I guess it was kind of a sudden decision."

"Yeah, but still…"

"**M-Miharu?! S-Sumire?!**" I yelled in shock as Miharu and Sumire had fallen in front of me…or rather us(?).

"Hey, Mugi. Looks like we found you rather easily." Miharu said.

"Found me? You mean you two **ACTUALLY** jumped in?!"

"It was originally going to be all of us together. But it was deemed too risky." Sumire said.

"You can thank Mio for that idea, though." Miharu added.

"What the hell?"

_Since when did Mio-chan make risky decisions?_

"Oh…so, this is Miharu. Never thought I would meet you this soon."

"Huh? **H-Holy crap! It's another Mugi!**"

"Miharu, keep it down!" I yelled. "This place is known as the Dream World and this is the world's equivalent of me. Created by my father."

"So…she is like a doppelgänger?" Sumire asked.

"Pretty much."

"_Oh…_"

_She sounds pretty amazed by that…_

"Now…if the three of you are ready, follow me." My dreamy self said. "Father is just down this hallway."

"One quick question." I quickly spoke. "This whole thing was planned from the start, wasn't it? He knew I was inside his Dream World and sent you to come get me, didn't he?"

My doppelgänger didn't respond at first and started walking away from me. As she did, I could hear my own giggles coming out from her. And while still walking, she said to me:

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that, Mugi."

"_***sigh***_"

_She's right. I did knew the answer. I just wanted to hear it from my father's own cognition._

_And based on the response…it's pretty much what I expected._

* * *

Down the hallway, we walked and soon we arrived at a pair of big brown doors. With a small plaque on the wall next to it reading "Manager's Office".

"Well, here we are. The final destination." My copy said. "Behind this door will make or break this whole ordeal."

"This is it, huh?" I said as I stared the door down. "Well…thanks for getting us here."

"It's no problem. For I too want my other self to be happy. Feels weird for an alternative reality version to be the only one, right?"

"True…"

"Now, if you excuse me…I must return to the others. Pretty sure Yui-chan is still looking for what guitar to pick out."

"Huh? Wait, the others are here, too?" Miharu asked.

"Dream World versions, mind you. They're not the same ones you saw before entering this world."

"Right. Kinda forgot."

"Well, this is where I take my leave. Good luck, Other Me. Here's hoping you can start over with yourself. _***giggle***_"

_Start…over?_

"Y-Yeah…thanks again." I said as we watched the Dream World version of myself walk away with a smile on her face.

_Hopefully, I can do the same after this…_

"So, he's behind this door, huh? Alright, let's go. I've got some choice words for him myself and…"

"A-Actually, Miharu…I would much rather go in by myself." I stopped her.

"Huh? B-But Mugi…"

"Miharu-Ojōsama…I think this is for the best." Sumire said.

"You too, Sumire? Don't you want to help Mugi out?"

"I do. And I am aware of how you wish to do the same. But for right now, this is a familial matter. Do you not agree?"

…

…

…

"Y-Yeah…you're right." Miharu said after thinking it over. "Just…if you need us, we'll be right here okay? I mean it."

"Miharu…" I gave my half-sister a great big hug to make her feel better. Though even that was hard because I nearly cried myself. But I managed to hold it in. For all of our sakes.

Then as the two walked off, I mentally prepared my mind to finally face my father after 6 months of fighting with him and roughly a day after his sudden death. I'm not sure what will happen or what will be said from this point forward. But like my dreamy self said before…"_Here's to hoping you can start over with yourself._".

_Only thing is…I wish to start over with the people I care about the most._

"_***sigh***_ Here I go…" I said to myself before knocking on the doors in front of me. I then gained the immediate thought to let down my hair and take out the fake contacts before going inside. There really isn't a point to keep this disguise on anymore. And plus, I prefer my normal blue eyes over those reddish-orange ones. Such a weird combination.

"Yes? Come in."

I opened the door and stepped inside the office. Not saying a word until I was fully inside. Standing just near inches from my back-facing father while staying as calm as possible.

"F-Father…"

"Oh. Mugi…you're here."

"_F…Fa…_**DADDY!**"

And then I lost all control of myself and ran up to hug my father. Crying heavy tears and holding tight as I had finally broken down after 6 long months of ignoring these feelings of sadness. It was truly destroying my sense of sanity.

"_**Daddy! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for causing you so much stress for all these years! Never did I believe that it would lead to your early demise! I truly am a selfish person! Please forgive me!**_"

"Mugi, it's okay. I completely forgive you. In fact…this whole thing is my fault to begin with."

"_***sniff***__ Y-Yes, but…wh-what about the fight? O-Over…y-you-know-who?_"

"_***sigh***_ Honestly, that fight should've never happened. It was just me being too stubborn to accept the truth. Even after all these years…"

"_Daddy…_"

"H-Hey, come on! I told you I was just admiring the walls here! Haven't you ever appreciated the beauty of bricks before?!"

"Miharu-Ojōsama…please stop. No one is believing such a ridiculous story."

"Well, it was worth a shot."

"Miharu? Sumire?" I asked in shock as two guards had brought the due inside the office with us.

"Sir, we found these two walking around the back area. Should we call the police?"

"No, it's fine. I'll handle it from here."

"Very well." The two guards let the girls go and left the room. Leaving the now three of us alone with my father. A heart-warming reunion now turned into a complicated meet-up.

"U-Uh…h-hello, Kotobuki-sama. Nice to see you again." Sumire said.

"_Crap. I am so screwed._" Miharu mumbled to herself.

"S-So…Daddy." I nervously said. "I'm sure you know Sumire. And, uh…"

"It's okay, Mugi." Daddy went silent for a bit. "In fact, to be completely honesty…I've always wanted to meet you, Miharu Neroni."

"Huh? Y-You did?"

"It may be hard to believe…but it is the truth. _***sigh***_ You really do look like Akiyo."

"W-Wow…th-thank you, uh…Sir."

"Daddy…if it's okay with you, we'd like to know. Why were you so adamant on pushing Miharu out of my life? Why couldn't you let us be together?"

Daddy went silent again. This time sitting at his desk with his hands clasps together and his eyes closed. Or, as known as by the family, his thinking pose.

"To be honest, Mugi…I was ashamed of myself."

"Ashamed?" We all asked.

"I felt total shame for even doing such an atrocity. And to even have the result we got only added more shame upon myself. But at the same time…it was done to save our marriage."

"Marriage?" I asked.

"A year or two after we got married, your mother was…unhappy with our relationship. I always spent my days and nights working and paid little to no attention to her. It was so bad that she was seriously considering a divorce. And I truly didn't want that."

"And so, you planned a trip with her to make it all up."

"She always wanted to go to Paris. It was always a dream of hers. So, I surprised her with plane tickets and we went almost immediately. But…our pilot got lost. And we ended up in Sceaux with nothing but our luggage and not a place to stay for the night. And then…"

"And then, you met my parents…" Miharu said.

"They were nice people. We instantly felt comfortable with them…especially since Akiyo was Japanese herself. They invited us to stay at their place for the night and we took them up on their offer. We got into interesting conversations, had some drinks, and…I'm sure I don't have to continue from there, correct?"

"N-No no no." Sumire said.

"W-We're fully aware of what happened at that point, Daddy." I said.

"_Although, I __**really**__ wish we weren't…_"

***NUDGE***

"Ow! Mugi!" Miharu yelled after I had nudged her in the side.

_She isn't wrong, by any means. But it's just Miharu being Miharu, as usual._

"When you were 2, we learned of the…_**special connection**_ you have with Miharu. And that's when the shame had overcome me. I was so embarrassed of what I did…the self-hatred had risen to the max. It was then that I made the most selfish decision a person could ever make. Instead of being honest with you, I essentially erased the Neronis out of our lives. And pretended that it never happened.

…

Though, the thought was always in the back of my mind. I feared that down the line, the secret would be revealed through your facial features. And so that's why you were homeschooled until high school. Even though I knew you hated it. I wasn't oblivious to the 11 times you tried to run away from home."

"W-Wait, 11? I thought it was 8." Sumire said.

"_Hehhehheh. _Well…there **might** have been a few times in which you weren't home to stop me…" I rubbed the back of my head.

"Ojōsama…"

"You know, I'm not entirely surprised. Considering that this is you we're talking about." Miharu said.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"To my surprise, everything was going well. Even after we allowed you to attend high school. I truly thought I was in the clear with everything…that is until that day came. The day Akiyo Neroni died."

"It was shortly after that is when you told me about Miharu. And thus, the story had come full circle." I said.

"So, that's it. the truth to it all." Miharu said.

"I still cannot approve of how all of this happened…but at least we now know everything." Sumire said.

"I am truly sorry. To all three of you. I'm sure you all have been struggling to cope with this mess I selfishly gotten you in."

"Well…actually, Daddy we…"

"Tsumugi-san…can you hear me?"

"Huh? Kaho-chan?"

"Tsumugi-san…you have 5 minutes before your time limit is up. Please, you three must return to the spawn point."

"A-Already?! Can't you extend it just a bit longer, Kaho-chan?"

"I am sorry, Tsumugi-san. If I allow any more time, there may be a chance that you will become stuck there for all eternity. It is too risky to add more time."

"Oh. I see. Well…thank you, Kaho-chan."

The voice soon went away and I was left with a sad look on my face. Knowing that my time with my father is coming to an end.

"So, we gotta leave, huh? That sucks." Miharu said.

"Indeed." Sumire added. "Ojōsama looked rather happy, too."

"Mugi…"

"It's…It's okay, Daddy. I'm fine. I got to see you one last time. That's all I ever wanted."

I walked up to my father and hugged him one last time. A lot happier than when I was when I first hugged him not too long ago. And a mild amount less tears than before, too.

"_***sigh***_ Mugi…even our last few moments together were filled with turmoil, you're still my precious daughter. And I'll always love you from the bottom of my heart."

"And I'll do the same, Daddy. I'll always love and remember you from my heart, body, and soul. From now until the end of time."

"H-Hey, uh…speaking of time…I don't think we have that much left." Miharu said.

"O-Oh, right." I then looked at my phone. "But how are we supposed to get back there in less than 3 minutes?"

"I can help you with that." We heard another voice. One that was similar to mine.

Which could only mean…

"Woah! Dreamy Ojōsama!" Sumire yelled in excitement.

"When did you get here?" Miharu asked.

"Just now. I can teleport to different areas at my leisure. Though, only to places I've been before."

"Can the others do that?"

"Nope. Just me. One of the many perks of being the daughter of the ruler of this Dream World. _***giggle***_"

"I see…" Miharu didn't question it much longer.

"Now, then…if you three are ready, I'll take you back to my room. Or rather _**our**_ room. Whichever you wish to put it."

"Well…alright. Let's go." I said. The three of us then grabbed my doppelgänger's hands and prepared to depart from the office.

But not before I took one last look at my father…and grew one big smile on my disguise-less face.

"_Goodbye, Daddy. I'll miss you._"

This was the last thing I said before he disappeared from my sight. Never to be seen in a physical way ever again.

…

Well…I wouldn't say "never".

* * *

"_Mugi…Mugi…_"

"_***moan***_"

"_Mugi-chan…time to wake up._"

"_***moan***__ Wha…Ricchan? Yui-chan?_"

"Hey, sleepyhead. Welcome back." Ricchan said.

"Did you know that you're a wild sleeper, Mugi-chan?" Yui-chan asked. "Cause you were all over the place a few seconds ago."

"Huh?" I sat up and looked around…only to realize that I was back at Naminoue Shrine. With everyone looking at me with small smiles of enjoyment.

"So, I made it back…H-Hey, where are…"

"Don't worry, Mugi. We're here." Miharu said as she and Sumire were being held up by Azusa-chan and Mikuru-chan.

"Although, a bit weak, I might add." Sumire said.

"Huh?"

"From what Kaho told us, the trip took a decent amount of your energy. Meaning that you can't really do much of anything right now." Kyouko-chan said. "But with a good night's rest, you should be back to normal."

"I see. Where is Kaho-chan?"

"Well…" Kyouko-chan then pointed over to a distance and…what we saw was…highly difficult to comprehend.

"Kaho, you can't stay in the trash bin forever."

"_B-But Sachiko~! I-It's too scary out there~! I-I don't wanna see it~! Pl-Please don't make me~!_"

"_***sigh***_ I swear…you are the most cowardly ghost I've ever seen."

What we were looking at was Sachiko-san talking to Kaho-chan, who is apparently inside a trash bin, of all things…and trying to get her out of there. But not having much luck.

"I don't get it…she was a totally different person in that other world." I said.

"Yeah…that's Kaho's true personality." Kyouko-chan said. "She's pretty much afraid of everything."

"Uh-huh…makes it kinda pathetic that Yui and Mio were afraid of her."

"**Sh-Shut up, Ritsu!**"

"**Sh-Shut up, Ricchan!**" Both girls yelled at Ricchan.

"Well, anyway. Now that we got everything all fixed up, let's finally head back. At this point, we only got 2 days before our big collab together!"

"Oh, yeah. That." I said with a sweatdrop.

"Wait, don't tell me you're backing out of it, Mugi!"

"I-I'm not. I'm still doing it. It's just…singing in front of a bunch of people is rather new to me, that's all."

"Wow. Mugi-senpai having stage fright? That's a shock." Azusa-chan said.

"Eh, no worries." Miharu said. "Since this is Mugi, she'll probably do well even if she's filled to the brim with fear."

"Miharu, don't jinx it!" Mio yelled.

"Just saying."

"_Ugh._ I give up." Sachiko-san said as she walked up to us. "I can't get that ghost girl to come out no matter what I try."

"So, I guess she wins, huh?" Kyouko-chan asked.

"U-Um…I-Ichiko-san. M-May I talk to Tsuyaki-san?" Mikuru-chan asked.

"Huh? You think you can get her out of there?"

"I-I can try. I-I mean…I-I have something in mind that could…w-work."

"Well…why the hell not? I'm all out of ideas."

"Th-Thank you, Ichiko-san."

With that said, Mikuru-chan went over to the trash bin (leaving Ricchan to carry Sumire) and crouched down in front of it. We really couldn't hear a word she was saying because she was whispering at such a crazy low level.

And if I know where this is going…

"_M…Mikuru…_"

"Holy crap…**what did you say to her?!**" Sachiko-san yelled in shock after we all saw Kaho-chan phase out of the trash bin with a lot more confidence than before.

"S-Sorry, Sachiko-san. B-But I promised Tsuyaki-san…th-that it would stay between us. I-It is a…v-very sensitive topic for her."

"Uh…okay, then."

"_Déjà freaking vu…_" Miharu and I mumbled with huge sweatdrops.

"Uh…anyway…let's just head back already. I'm sure the others are wondering where we are." Ricchan said.

And with all of us on an agreement, we started heading back to the hotel. Ready to put this long tiring day behind us.

It was indeed tiring. But in my own mind, I was still pepped up as ever. Because now I'm able to move on and have a new outlook on life. All thanks to a special person who I'll always love and remember for all eternity.

_Rest in Peace, Daddy. Rest in Peace. _

_**Author's Note:**_** After a long and tiring 6-month feud and a journey of dreams, Mugi has finally made up with her now-deceased father. Now, with his love and memory always inside her, she sets herself to choose her own path in life. And finally be free.**

**This chapter ended up being longer than I thought it would be. But in the end, it makes kinda sense. Considering the emotional stuff that goes on in it. These kinds of chapters tend to be long no matter what I do.**

**So, here's the thing. I **_**really**_** want to finish this Golden Week saga and fast. So, for the next few days, I'm going to be putting more focus on this story and keep updating until it reaches a certain point. Mainly when the girls leave Okinawa. I already have stuff planned for future chapters and the story still being in this arc is really holding me back. So, it's time to binge-write (if that's even a thing)!**

**Also, I know I'm about a month late into this…but Happy 1****st**** Anniversary to this story! I did NOT think it would be going on for this long. Thank you guys for continuing to give this story support. It really means a lot. Also, thank you for 5k views on this story. It also means a lot.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


	34. Seashells & Sunflowers & Secrets

**Chapter 34 – Seashells & Sunflowers & Secrets**

**Ui's POV**

"Wow…so, that's what happened."

"Yeah, it was pretty emotional from what Mugi-senpai told us." Azusa-chan said to me. "Makes perfect sense that she immediately went back to sleep after practice."

"But Miharu-senpai did the same thing. And Sumire-san hasn't woken up at all for the day. What exactly happened in there?"

"Who knows. But one thing's for sure…both Mugi-senpai and Sumire-san are wild as hell sleepers."

"_Ain't that the truth…_" I mumbled to myself. My stomach still in pain from when Sumire-san kicked me in the middle of the night.

_Just what the hell is her strength?_

The Light Music Club and Yui-san managed to get some practice done today. So, now it was Azusa-chan and I as we were walking back to our room after getting something to eat.

It felt nice not having to cook for once…but at the same time, the food they were serving was…mediocre at best.

And even then, I couldn't enjoy it to its fullest because my stomach was still in pain. I'm pretty sure at this point that Sumire-san left an internal bruise somewhere inside. Otherwise, the pain would've stopped by now.

_Hopefully, it goes away soon…_

"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked.

"Hmm…not sure. Everyone's doing their own thing again and Miharu-senpai's asleep. I can't really think of what to do."

"What about Akari-chan?"

"She tripped and fell yesterday at the beach due to her poor eyesight. So, she's resting today."

"I see. It must be an everyday struggle for her since she only has one eye."

"She's a soldier. Every accident nowadays just motivates her even more. No matter what the physical pain is."

"So inspiring…" I gained a sweatdrop.

"So, yeah. I don't really have much to do. Kinda sucks, actually."

"Well, maybe something will come to us. It's not that common, but it happens."

"Yeah, true. But what, though?"

"Well…"

"_***whine***__ It's hopeless! I'll never come up with something on time!_"

"Hey, isn't that Chinatsu-chan over there?" I asked as we heard a yelling voice and eventually saw the pink-haired girl wallowing in defeat at one of the tables in the lobby.

"She looks distressed. I wonder what's up."

"Whatever it is, it's really troubling her."

"Hmm…well, I guess you were right about something to do coming to us, Ui."

"Huh? Wait, seriously?" I was actually shocked that something went my way for once. It **rarely** happens. Especially with Onee-chan.

_And yet, she wonders why people often mistake me for the older sister…_

"Hey, Chinatsu." Azusa-chan called out.

"Oh…hey, Azusa. Ui." Chinatsu-chan greeted us in a sad tone.

"What's wrong, Chinatsu-chan? You look upset." I asked.

"Well…i-it's kinda embarrassing."

"Come on, it can't be that bad. Just tell us."

"Well…" Chinatsu-chan went silent for a bit. "…Y-You see, tomorrow will be the 1st anniversary of when Kyouko and I became a couple. And I want to give her something that truly came from my heart. So, I've been trying to make something for her these past few days."

"Aw. That's really sweet, Chinatsu-chan."

"Yeah, it is." Azusa-chan said. "But…knowing you…"

"Yeah, yeah. I can't make anything that doesn't look like a hellspawn even if my life depended on it. Which is why I've been going at it for the past 3 hours trying to at least improve my gift-making skills."

"And?"

"I just came back from having to burn them all in a fire."

"Wh-Why did you burn them?" I asked.

"Because the staff wouldn't allow me to throw them in the trash. Due to how nightmare-ish they looked."

"Huh…" We both gained a sweatdrop.

"So, now with the deadline close by and all the supplies I brought with me burned to ashes, I'll just have to suck it up and go buy something for her. As much as I don't want to."

"I'm sure Kyouko-chan wouldn't mind. Knowing that it's from you." I said.

"Yeah, but…this is the 1st anniversary. There won't be any special ones to celebrate until the 5th one. So, I wanted this first one to be extra special, you know."

"That is a good reason…" I then thought to myself. "Oh, I know a way to do it. And it's very simple to do."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There's a little store close to the beach that lets you turn whatever seashells you find into beautiful jewelry. I remember seeing it shortly after we arrived here."

"Oh, yeah. I remember seeing it, too." Azusa-chan said. "But will that really work, though? We're talking about someone who makes stuff that will wanna make you gouge your eyes out and drench them with bleach."

"Aren't you supposed to be cheering me up?" Chinatsu-chan retorted with a pissed off tone.

"It's fine." I continued. "From what I read about the place, it's as simple as finding the shells and connecting them with string. No complicated stuff included."

"Well…it does sound easy. I guess I can give it a shot. Where's this place again?"

"Close to the beach on Kokusai Street. Uh…Sunset Beach I think it's called. Don't worry, I'll show you the way."

"Huh? You mean you're coming with me?"

"I still have to get a Mother's Day gift for my mom. The earlier the better, you know."

_Plus, I still feel bad for not getting Mikuru-chan a birthday/Christmas present. I could kill two birds…or in this case, three…with one stone._

"Well, alright then. Thanks a lot, Ui. You really saved me good."

"No problem, Chinatsu-chan. Anything to help my friends." I said with a smile.

"Well, you two have fun with that. I'll meet you back here." Azusa-chan said.

"Huh? You mean you're not coming?"

"I don't wanna go to the beach. I'll get tanned up in seconds. Plus, what's so good about a do-it-yourself necklace store anyway? It sounds tedious."

"Well…" I grew a small smirk. "…don't you think Miharu-senpai would be happy to receive a present from her girlfriend?"

…

…

…

"I-It wouldn't hurt to check. L-Let's go." Azusa-chan then sped off with a small blush on her face. Her mind easily changed because of the person she loves the most.

_Love makes even the most stubborn ones extremely gullible…_

"Hey, is Azusa really dating that Miharu girl?" Chinatsu-chan asked me. "I never took her to be into girls."

"It was a shock to us all, really. Even she couldn't believe it once she realized it. But in the end, they both love and cherish each other. So, it works out."

"Huh. Well, they do say love isn't blind."

"Yeah…"

_Love isn't blind, huh? I wonder if that's even the case for someone like me…_

* * *

After a short bus trip, the three of us had reached Kokusai Street and were now heading towards Sunset Beach to check out the store. And like most days in Okinawa, the streets were as populated as ever.

"Wow…there are so many people out today." Chinatsu-chan said.

"And it seems to be more than usual." I added.

"Well, it makes sense." Azusa-chan said. "Considering that the music festival's tomorrow."

"Yeah, true. _Still sucks that I won't be singing with Yui…_"

"Let it go, Chinatsu." Azusa-chan said to her.

"Fine, fine. How close are we to that store?"

"It should be around here somewhere…" I said while looking at a map on my phone. "Oh! There it is!" I then shouted in glee as I pointed to a small shack sitting on the beach.

"That's it? Kinda tiny."

"It probably doesn't get a whole lot of customers." Azusa-chan said.

"Well, making seashell jewelry isn't really for everyone." I said. "But at least we found it."

"_***sigh***_ I just hope that even someone like me can make some of these things." Chinatsu-chan said. "I'm literally out of options here."

"Just have hope, Chinatsu-chan."

The three of us made our way onto the beach and soon were standing in front of the shack. It looked a little bigger than it was from out in the street. But it still was rather tiny.

""Sunset Seashells – Home of the first and only Build-A-Shell workshop" Build-A-Shell? If that ain't copyright infringement, then I don't know what is." Azusa-chan said after reading the sign placed near the entrance.

"Eh, who's gonna care? It's not like they have secret spies around the place or anything." Chinatsu-chan said.

"True…"

"Anyway. Let's see what this place is about." Chinatsu-chan then went inside the store and Azusa-chan and I soon followed. Once inside, we unexpectedly walked in on two of the employees having a conversation.

And it was a…interesting one, to say the least.

"_Ugh. Hiro, I'm so freaking bored…_"

"You're complaining again?"

"_I can't help it. It's freaking Golden Week and we haven't done a damn thing besides work. I'm sick of it._"

"Well, you did lose that bet, Aoi."

"I get that, but…_***sigh***_ Can't we at least have a day to have fun here? I mean, we're in **Okinawa**! I could be out there making money off the tourists here but _**nooo~!**_ I'm doing this crap for free. What a waste."

"Well, gee. I feel _**so**_ sorry for you, Aoi."

"Don't patronize me, Hiro. I'm not in the mood."

"Uh…Aoi. I didn't say that."

"Huh? Then who…" And as the long black-haired girl turned around…

"Hey there, Cousin. Long time no see." Azusa-chan said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"_You've gotta be kidding me…_**Why are you here?!**"

"I could easily ask the same thing about you, Aoi."

"W-Wait, hold on. You two are cousins?" Chinatsu-chan asked.

"_***sigh***_ Yeah, we're cousins." The black-haired girl said. "Though, I'm actually a month younger than her. But I don't bring it up because of how popular she is."

"How am I popular?" Azusa-chan asked.

"Well, duh. All the fanfiction about you and some girl named Yui. It's basically all you see on there."

"**Th-That's not it!**" Azusa-chan blushed a little. "I'm in a freaking band that plays good music! That's all to it!"

"Yeah sure, cousin. It's _**EXACTLY **_that."

"Wh-Whatever."

"So, why are you here? I already know about Chinatsu and the others being here. But seeing you here all of a sudden…and with this girl, too. Is this the girlfriend you won't shut up about on Twitter?"

"N-No, you moron. This is my friend Ui Hirasawa." Azusa-chan then turned to face me. "This is my cousin Aoi Isurugi. And next to her is her friend Hiro Takaoka."

"They both go to Rakuyama High with Sachiko. A school in Takaoka." Chinatsu-chan added.

"I see. Well, it's nice to meet you both, Aoi-san and Hiro-san."

"Same here, Ui-san." Hiro-san said.

"Yeah, I guess…" Was all Aoi-san replied with.

_Did I upset her somehow?_

"So, why are you two here?" Chinatsu-chan asked. "Seems kinda hypocritical for you to be here after turning down our offer to join us."

"We're not hypocrites. We just got sucked into some unfortunate situations and now we're here working at this shop."

"And by "We", she means that it's totally all on her." Hiro-san added.

"Why? What did you do?"

"Well…"

"Hey, you two. Quit lounging around and get this stuff done already." We then heard a voice coming from the back of the store. And once we saw who it was…

"Sawako-sensei?" Azusa-chan and I said in shock.

"O-Oh. H-Hey, girls. How's Okinawan life treating you?"

"Fine…" Azusa-chan said. "…But what are you doing here? Didn't you say you had something to do before coming here?"

"I did…" Sawako-sensei went silent for a bit. "…And this is it. I'm helping my grandmother with her shop for the week. Just like me to be thoughtful of others. _Hehhehheh._"

"Uh…"

"She lost, too." Hiro-san said.

"**H-Hey! No one asked you!**"

"Lost what?" I asked.

"This bet that Aoi got us all into. And I'm still rather pissed that I lost, too." We then heard another voice that was familiar to us. And once we saw who it was…

"Hiyori?" The three of us asked.

"And me, too. _***giggle***_"

"How are you so cheerful about this?" Hiyori-san said to the short blonde girl next to her.

"Patty too, huh? This story oughta be interesting." Chinatsu-chan said.

And so, the group of unsuspecting acquaintances explained to us how they all ended up working at a seashell shop during Golden Week. It started with Aoi-san making a bet with some guy named Jeb that she can beat more CPU opponents in "Endless Mode" from a game called…Puyo Puyo.

No doubt, the **weirdest** name for a game I've ever heard.

Anyway, this was all set and made. And Aoi-san even made a Twitter post about it and how she'll win without any problems.

Though, unexpectedly…the post attracted interest from Hiyori-san, Patty-san, and even Sawako-sensei. And so, the four of them challenged this Jeb person on the bet.

And lost hard.

They each refused to tell us the scores. But we all could tell from their disgruntled faces that they weren't happy about it.

And so, after refusing to pay him money, they eventually gave in to the guy's alternative demand. Which was to help a friend of his with her shop in Okinawa. Hiro-san didn't take part in this bet. But came along anyway because Aoi-san was throwing a fit about it.

Thus, making the whole story come full circle. In a weird way.

"I see. So, that's what happened." I said.

"Placing bets with high schoolers, Sensei. You really are a questionable teacher." Azusa-chan said.

"I don't need an underclassman to ridicule my sense of recreational time." Sawako-sensei retorted in an agitated tone.

"So, all four of you lost to Jeb, huh?" Chinatsu-chan asked. "I would be shocked as hell…but knowing him, I'm not the tiniest bit surprised."

"Who is this Jeb person, anyway?" Azusa-chan asked.

"Well…"

"We're back." And for the fourth time today, we heard a recognizable voice. And we turned around towards the exit to see…

"Oh hey, Chizuru."

"Chinatsu. Funny running into you here. Despite Okinawa being a big island and all."

"Well, with how this story's being played out, it was bound to happen eventually."

"True."

"_Uh…since when did Chizuru-san had red eyes?_" I whispered to Azusa-chan.

"_They're contacts. A friend of hers gave them to her after her glasses broke. But they ended up changing her eye color and she's too squeamish to take them out. They're the same ones Mugi-senpai got from Iyo-san._"

"_I see…_"

"So, what brings you three here?" Chizuru-san asked. "You're actually interested in making necklaces and such from seashells?"

"Well, yeah. We are…" I said. "…But then we were told about this bet and got rather curious."

"Huh. Makes sense. Hey, Jeb. You actually sparked interest in that stupid bet you made."

And then…out from the bag Chizuru-san was carrying…came something that neither Azusa-chan and I were expecting to see. Like ever.

"You're just jealous of all the money I potentially made, Chizuru. I could've set up for a good as hell retirement."

"I'm not entirely sure what the hell you would retire from, but I'm not going to ask." Chizuru-san said with a sweatdrop.

"**Wh-What the hell?! A talking mouse?!**" We both shouted in pure shock at what we were currently looking at.

"It's a little hard to believe…but this is Jeb." Chinatsu-chan said. "He lives with the Ikeda twins at their house."

"He knew our now deceased grandmother well. So, we kinda can't kick him out." Chizuru-san added.

"Huh…"

"Interesting…" Was all we said.

_And here I thought the world of Yuru Yuri couldn't get any weirder…_

"Since when were you good at a game like Puyo Puyo?" Chinatsu-chan asked the mouse.

I can **NOT** believe I just said that.

"I play it all the time. Every day, to be exact. I may be small, but I can pile up big chains like none other."

"I still think you cheated." Hiyori-san said.

"How could I cheat? It's a puzzle game."

"I'm sure you found a way since you wiped our asses clean."

"Although…playing against a mouse was rather fun on its own right." Patty-san said. "I don't really mind that I lost. I got to come to Okinawa for Golden Week because of it."

"See? Patty's accepted it." Jeb said.

"Girl, you are just too accepting of everything." Hiyori-san gained a huge sweatdrop.

"By the way, Jeb…" Chinatsu-chan said. "They mentioned that this store belongs to a friend of yours. Where is she, anyway?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. She should be done sunbathing by now."

"**What?! You mean this whole time we've been working our asses off while your friend's been out SUNBATHING?!**" Aoi-san yelling in anger.

"Hey, she needs it. Otherwise, she'll be struggling to survive right now."

"Huh?" We all asked.

"Wait, what kind of friend is this person?" Azusa-chan asked.

"I'll get her." Chizuru-san said. "She should be still in the back." She then went to the back of the store to "get the store owner".

And after meeting Jeb-san the talking mouse, I'm a little afraid of who or what this store owner could be.

"Come to think about it, I don't think we've ever seen the store owner before this point." Hiro-san said.

"Seriously? Not even once?" Azusa-chan asked.

"We were always told that she was busy with something." Sawako-sensei said. "Though, we never thought that "something" was just her sunbathing."

"So, she's been chilling it up on the beaches of Okinawa while we did her work for her." Hiyori-san said. "_***sigh***_ This is the last time I'm ever making bets with you, Aoi."

"Why are you putting the blame solely on me? You jumped in on it on your own free will."

"She has a point, Hiyori-chan." Patty-san said.

"Shut it, Patty."

"Geez. To think you were sitting out there for that long…I'm honestly surprised that you're still standing like this." We then saw Chizuru-san and Jeb-san return. And in Chizuru-san's hands was…a potted sunflower, of all things.

_If this sunflower talks, I swear…_

"Chizuru, where's the owner?" Aoi-san asked. "You said she was in the back, right? What's with this sunflower?"

"I am the owner."

…

…

…

"Uh…who just said that?" I asked.

"The sunflower." Chizuru-san answered nonchalantly.

"Hello~!"

"**A-A TALKING SUNFLOWER?!**" We all shouted in shock.

"_Cool…_" Except for Patty-san, who was the only person who was absolutely fascinated with the fact that this was a thing.

"Thank you ladies for helping me with the store. It really means a lot that there are still such kind humans out here." The sunflower said.

"Uh…s-sure." Was all the four shocked employees responded with.

"They're still shocked out of their minds." Jeb-san said. "Makes me remember the time I met you girls for the first time."

"Yeah, but back then I was trying to kill you." Chizuru-san said.

"Right…"

"I shouldn't be surprised at this…but somehow I am." Chinatsu-chan said.

"S-So, um…wh-who's the talking sunflower?" I asked.

"This is Lily. A friend of mine from a while back." Jeb-san said.

"I was so happy to get in contact with Jeb again after so long." Lily-san added. "And to offer free labor for one of the busiest weeks of the year, too. Totally lucky."

"So, you really have no intention of paying us?" Aoi-san asked.

"He did mention something about you ladies losing a bet…"

"_***sigh***__ I hate Okinawa so much…_" Aoi-san then went into a depressed mood. All while Hiro-san was patting her on the back out of pity.

"So~! What's this I hear about having a couple of customers?"

"U-Um…"

"W-Well…" Both Azusa-chan and Chinatsu-chan slowly raised their hands while having a mild blush on their faces.

"They want to make something for their girlfriends and I told them about this place." I said. "I also want to make something for my mom and a friend of mine."

"Oh. Well, that's nice of you girls. May your love be totally strong for all eternity."

"Th-Thanks…Lily." The two girls said.

"Wait…Chinatsu making something?" Aoi-san asked. "So, I'm going to have nightmare fuel inflicted into my mind, too. _Man, Okinawa is such an ass to me._"

"**H-Have some faith in me, damnit!**" Chinatsu-san yelled.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent with us three getting an introduction to Lily-san's store and how to make seashell jewelry. And despite being a sunflower, she knew a whole lot about seashells. Which ties into why she had a seashell shop in Okinawa.

Though, just the thought of a sunflower owning a store (or, at the very least, talking) is still nonsensical to me.

The stuff we made actually came out pretty and cute. Even Chinatsu-chan made out with something good. A-After a few trial & error ones, of course.

Now heading back to the hotel, the three of us were looking over the seashell jewelry we made one last time. With Chinatsu-chan being the most excited about it.

For obvious reasons.

"Oh, my God…this necklace came out so cute! I can't wait to give this to Kyouko! She's gonna love it!"

"I'm sure she will, Chinatsu-chan." I said to her.

"A-And this necklace…it came out better than I thought it would. I hope Miharu-senpai loves this. I put all my heart into it."

"I'm sure she will, Azusa-chan." I said to her.

"You know, Ui. You sure made a lot of stuff. Does your mom really like seashells or something?"

"Um…well…"

_I might as well tell them…_

"To be honest, I also made one for Mikuru-chan. To make up for the fact that I didn't get her a gift for Christmas/her birthday."

"Well, there was that clock…"

"Please do not bring up that thing ever again." I quickly retorted.

"So, you made one for your mom, you made one for Mikuru…who's the third one for?" Chinatsu-chan asked.

"Th-Third one?"

"You know. That ring you made with those pearls that glow in the sunlight. You made that for someone, right?"

"Y-You must be mistaken, Chinatsu-chan. I don't recall making anything of the sort."

"What?" She didn't buy it.

"I'm pretty sure she made that so she can use it in her own dream wedding. Given the romantic maiden she is." Azusa-chan said.

"**I-I am not a romantic maiden!**" I yelled with a mild blush on my face. "_***sigh***_ Look, I won't deny the fact that I made it. but your reasoning is wrong. I just…made it for the hell of it. That's all."

"That's it? Just for the hell of it?"

"Yes. That's all there is to it."

…

…

…

"You're lying your ass off."

"**Huh?! B-B-But…**"

"You think it's a boy? Or could it _**really**_ be a girl? Are you a lesbo too, Ui?" Chinatsu-chan asked.

"**N-No, I'm straight!**" I started blushing harder. "_K…Kinda._"

"What?"

"Did you just say "kinda"?" Azusa-chan asked.

"**N-No! Y-You're hearing things!**"

"You sure? Cause I'm pretty sure I heard you say it."

"She's contemplating her feelings…" Chinatsu-chan said. "…Maybe she's going bi like your girlfriend."

"That could be it. Are you bi, Ui? Cause we won't judge you if you are."

"**Sh-Shut up! For God's sake, just drop this ****ing conversation already!**" I then quickly covered my mouth after realizing what I had just said.

"W-Woah…Ui just swore."

"D-Damn…"

"I-I'm sorry. I-It's just…I-I gotta use the bathroom! Be right back!" I then quickly ditched the two girls and ran for dear life. Even though my life wasn't in danger.

I dipped inside a fast food restaurant and headed towards the bathroom. Locking myself inside a stall before finally having the chance to calm down from the sudden interrogation.

"Aw, geez. That was close. I almost broke and told them everything."

And then, digging through the gift bag I had with me, I took out the ring in question and held it in my hand. Staring at the name I secretly had engraved onto it.

And started shedding tears of pure sadness.

"_***sniff***_ _Zoé-chan…someday, I'll meet you. My one true love._"

_**Author's Note:**_** A more relaxed chapter after the last few were all emotion-heavy. But it still includes new stuff.**

**For one…yes, this story has a talking sunflower for a character. Lily the Sunflower was planned for about a month or two in advance. And was supposed to debut in a later chapter. But with how this one was going, I decided to just introduce her now. She will return in future chapters, by the way. But not for a while.**

**And lastly…Ui has a secret crush. And just who is this "Zoé-chan"? Well, you're gonna have to wait for the answer. As this character will debut in a later chapter.**

**Speaking of later chapters, the next one is the LAST one that takes place in Okinawa. Meaning that the long-awaited music festival will end off the Golden Week segment of the story. And with this…one more special guest character will appear. One that wasn't even thought up until somewhat recently.**

**No hints this time. But I can say that it's not from either Yuru Yuri or Lucky Star. Despite me saying that some stories involved with those two series are connected to this one.**

**Also, if you've never played Puyo Puyo, go play it. It's a really fun puzzle game and it needs more love. I play it every day on my Switch and computer. And the newest game in the series, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, is coming out on all systems. Switch, PS5, and Series X/S. If you like puzzle games, then you'll love this series. Coming from a fan myself.**

**Thanks for reading. Later.**


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